






Class _ 

Book_• jJ-_ 

A\ \ 5 

DOBELL COLLECTION 































/ 


SPEECHES 

OF 


t£> 8 { 
s * 


THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES ABBOT , 
(LORD COLCHESTER,) 

IN COMMUNICATING 


THANKS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 

TO 

MILITARY COMMANDERS, 

1807—1816 : 

WITH 

3 IBiograpJjtral Memoir anti 3ppcnDtjr. 


[NOT PUBLISHED.] 


LONDON: 

PRINTED BY JAMES & LUKE G. HANSARD & SONS. 


1829. 






UKa 

i % 

•MGS' 


205449 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

Biographical Memoir of Lord Colchester - 1 

COPENHAGEN: 

Thanks to Major-general Finch, Major-general Gros- 
venor, and Major-general Sir Arthur Wellesley - 21 

Thanks to Captain Sir Home Popham - - - 26 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Copenhagen ) App. - - 113 

VIMIERA: 

* < 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir Arthur Wellesley - 29 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Vimiera ) App. - - - 129 

ROLEIA and VIMIERA: 

Thanks to Brigadier-general Henry Fane - - 32 

Thanks to Major-general Ferguson - 39 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Roleia ) App. - - - 122 




11 


CONTENTS. 


CORUNNA: 


Page 


Thanks to Lieutenant-general Mackenzie Fraser, and 


Brigadier-general Henry Fane - - - - 35 

Thanks to Sir Samuel Hood 37 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Corunna ) App. - - - 137 

TALAVERA: 

Thanks to Brigadier-general Charles Stewart - 43 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton, 
and Brigadier-general Anson - - - - 47 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Talavera ) App. - - 151 


ALBUERA: 

Thanks to Major-general Cole - - - 51 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Albuera ) App. - - - 162 


SALAMANCA: 

Thanks to Major-general Henry Clinton, and Major- 


general Pringle - - - - - - 54 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton - 58 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Salamanca ) App. - - 182 

SALAMANCA and VITTORIA: 

Thanks to Major-general Anson 62 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Vittoria) App. - 203 

VITTORIA and PYRENEES: 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton 66 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Pyrenees ) App. - - 217 


CONTENTS. 


Ill 


Page 

VITTORIA: 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir William Stewart - 70 

PYRENEES : 


Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir William Stewart, 
and Major-general Pringle 74 


ORTHES and BOURDEAUX: 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, 
Lieutenant-general Sir William Stewart, Lieute¬ 
nant-general Sir Henry Clinton, and Major-general 


Pringle - -------79 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Orthes ) - App. - - 242 

( Bourdeaux ) App. - - 253 


PENINSULA and SOUTHERN PRO¬ 
VINCES of FRANCE: 

Speeches of his Grace the Duke of Wellington and 


of the Speaker -------84 

Gazette Extraordinary ( Toulouse ) App. - - - 255 

ORTHES and BOURDEAUX : 

Thanks to Major-general Henry Fane 90 

Thanks to Major-general Lord Edward Somerset - 93 

WATERLOO : 

Thanks to Major-general Lord Edward Somerset - 96 

Gazette Extraordinary (Waterloo) App. - 265.281 

( Ligny ) - App. - - 275 



CONTENTS. 


iy 

Pas:e 

SALAMANCA, VITTORIA PYRENEES 
and ORTHES: 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole - r- 101 

WATERLOO and CAPTURE of PARIS : 

Thanks to Lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton - 100 

Gazette Extraordinary (Capture of Paris ) App. - 289 




Biographical Remote 

OF 

* 

LORD COLCHESTER. 


Charles abbot, afterwards Lord 

Colchester, was born at Abingdon in 
Berkshire, October 14th, 1757; the younger 
son of the Rev. John Abbot, d. d. Rector of 
All Saints, Colchester, by Sarah, daughter 
of Jonathan Farr (which Sarah, after Dr. 
Abbot’s death in 1760, was re-married to 
Jeremiah Bentham, esq. and died in 1809). 
He was educated at Westminster school, 
where he manifested the same diligence under 
Dr. Markham and Dr. Smith, which distin¬ 
guished him in afterlife; and in his thirteenth 
year became a King’s scholar at the head of 
his election. In 1775 he was elected a 
student of Christ Church, Oxford. In 1777 
he gained the Chancellor’s prize for Latin 
verses, and the subject being the Czar Peter I. 


B 




2 Kograpgual Memoir 

he was honoured with a gold medal by the 
reigning Empress of Russia. He travelled to 
Geneva for improvement in foreign law in 
1781; took a law degree at Oxford the next 
year, and became Vinerian Scholar. Soon 
after he was called to the bar, and practised 
with increasing success until he succeeded 
his brother in the clerkship of the Rules in 
the Court of King’s Bench in the year 1795, 
his practice in the Court of Chancery being 
deemed too arduous for his health. This 
office he relinquished in 1801, on his appoint¬ 
ment as chief secretary in Ireland. 

lord Colchester seems to have first turned 
his thoughts towards public life in the year 
1790, when the name of Mr. Abbot appears 
in the Journals of the House of Commons as 
having been a candidate for the borough of 
Helston; and upon a vacancy in the repre¬ 
sentation of that place, caused by the re¬ 
markable appointment of Sir Gilbert Elliott 
as Viceroy of Corsica, he came into Parlia¬ 
ment in June 1795. In the beginning of the 
next session he distinguished himself by an 
uncompromising speech on the Seditious 


of 3lot& CoU8e0tet\ 


3 


Meetings Bill, in which he boldly resisted the 
too prevalent democracy of the day. 

In a subsequent part of the same session 
he recommended an improvement in the man¬ 
ner of dealing with Expiring laws, by esta¬ 
blishing a regular method of laying full in¬ 
formation before the House on that subject; 
and the hotchpot Acts by which the most 
discordant expiring laws were at that time 
continued by one Act, fell gradually into 
disuse, and entirely disappeared after the year 
1806. 

Proceeding in the same course of legislative 
utility, he brought before Parliament in 1797 
apian for a due Promulgation of the Statutes 
among magistrates, by furnishing a large 
proportion of them with a copy of all Acts of 
Parliament as soon as printed; thus enabling 
them to see readily the state of the law, in¬ 
stead of being obliged to refer to private col¬ 
lections of Acts, which are not every where 
accessible, and seldom reach quite to the 
present time. 

At this le Mr. Pitt found it expedient 
to appoint 1 Finance Committee, ol which 


4 Biographical Remote 

Mr. Abbot became the indefatigable chair¬ 
man, and brought up to the table of the House 
thirty-six reports during that session and the 
next. These reports have since served as a 
model to other similar committees : they are 
uniform in the quantity of information col¬ 
lected ; but not so in form and method, the 
reports on various offices having been distri¬ 
buted for preparation among the several 
members of the committee. The chairman 
prepared those regarding the Revenue, the 
Exchequer, and Law courts. The proceed¬ 
ings of Government on several of these 
reports are appended to them in the folio 
edition of reports, and the whole is still 
referred to with advantage and due respect 
on all suitable occasions. 

An unostentatious Act of great importance 
was among the best fruits of this Finance 
Committee: Mr. Abbot (in 1800) having 
introduced a bill “ for charging Public Ac¬ 
countants with the payment of Interest,” 
whereby the “ unaccounted millions,” which 
used to be retained indefinitely by successive 
paymasters and others, in and out of office. 


of Hard Colcfiesmr* 


5 


becoming chargeable with interest, have not 
since been retained. 

At this time Mr. Abbot seems to have oc¬ 
cupied himself in deliberate preparation for 
an investigation into the national Records ; 
he moved for a committee to that effect in 
February 1800, and presented to the House 
in the July of that year the large and valua¬ 
ble produce of their labours. Nothing could 
be more consonant to the solid mind of Lord 
Colchester than such an extensive research, 
which could not but demonstrate the emi¬ 
nence of England and Scotland over all other 
nations in the quantity and value of records, 
from Domesday Book, through the reigns of 
the Plantagenets, theTudors, and the Stuarts. 
Too frequent have been intestine broils and civil 
wars during that long period of history ; but 
the insular position of Britain precluding suc¬ 
cessful invasion, the combatants have all felt 
a common property in these national treasures, 
which have fortunately escaped the base level¬ 
lers of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, 
and the fanatics who disgraced England pre¬ 
viously to the restoration of Charles II. 

» 3 


6 Btograpjjtcal Memoir 

From the reports of the Record Committee 
naturally sprung the Royal Record Commis¬ 
sion, which continued this useful labour with 
renovated authority, under the guidance of 
Mr. Abbot, till his retirement from public 
life in the year 1817. Numerous publica¬ 
tions, especially the authentic edition of the 
Statutes of the realm, testify the persever¬ 
ance of the commissioners in the trust dele¬ 
gated to them by the Crown, and supported 
by Parliament. 

In the beginning of the year 1801, Mr. 
Abbot introduced a bill for ascertaining the 
Population of Great Britain, with the increase 
and diminution thereof. The first of these 
objects is well known to be the primary ru¬ 
diment of statistical knowledge, in which 
England had remained remarkably defective, 
whether from a scriptural prejudice against 
“ numbering the people,” or from an appre¬ 
hended difficulty of obtaining true information 
on a subject too likely to excite apprehensions 
of accurate taxation or military levy. But 
the returns obtained under the Population 
Act of 1801 have been amply confirmed by 


of ilotti Co(c6cs>tn% 


7 


subsequent enumerations; a fact explain¬ 
able from the well-chosen opportunity of a 
famine-price of provisions, which produced 
a general impression that this enumeration 
was made with a view to future precautions 
in favour of the numerous classes of society. 
The second aim of the Population Act would 
have been hopeless, indeed has never been 
attempted, in any foreign nation, from its 
obvious impracticability ; but England among 
her records possessed registers of baptisms, 
burials, and marriages, in many parishes 
from the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, 
and so generally from the commencement of 
the last century, that an unquestionable de¬ 
cennary approximation was obtained of the 
increase of population, which from the year 
1710 never once retrograded, and from 1784 
till 1801 increased at the rate of one per cent, 
per annum; since that time periodical returns 
show an increase of one and a half per cent, 
per annum. 

At the commencement of the Sidmouth 
administration, Mr. Abbot was appointed 
Chief Secretary for Ireland under Lord Hard- 

b 4 


8 3i5iograpfiiral Memoir 

wicke, and Keeper of the privy seal; and 
commenced such reforms of the several pub¬ 
lic offices there as might be expected from 
the chairmamof the Finance Committee; but 
his parliamentary activity had now marked 
him out as the successor of Sir John Mitford 
in the chair of the House of Commons. Mr. 
Abbot was elected Speaker 10th February 
1802, and took possession of the office as 
that in which he had resolved to equal, 
and if possible to surpass, his predecessors, 
and to maintain with exemplary regularity 
the useful restrictions imposed by ancient 
forms on an assembly, composed indeed of 
somewhat discordant materials, but which 
under his guidance preserved a dignified con¬ 
sistency, worthy of a body which astonished 
the civilized world by the facility with which 
it drew out our national resources, during a 
war chequered with adversity, but terminat¬ 
ing in exaltation and triumph. 

In the year 1805 the Speaker was placed 
in a painful situation: a parliamentary Com¬ 
mission of Naval Inquiry had been esta¬ 
blished in pursuance of the objects of the 


of ILorb Colclje^ter* 


9 


Finance Committee, and had felt it to be 
their duty to inculpate Lord Melville, a vete¬ 
ran statesman (at that time first lord of the 
admiralty), for his conduct while treasurer 
of the navy. The question for proceeding 
to prosecute him was agitated in the House 
of Commons with no small eagerness, and 
the parties were equally divided (216 on each 
side), when the Speaker, on all other occa¬ 
sions a moderator of debates without expres¬ 
sion of personal opinion, was called upon for 
his casting vote. The functions of the House 
of Commons are said to be inquisitorial; pos¬ 
sessing no jurisdiction beyond that which is 
necessary to maintain their own privileges, 
they act in alleged criminal cases as a grand 
jury, which merely sends a man to take his 
trial. This doctrine assists the Speaker’s 
decision on such occasions, and he usually 
votes in such manner as to leave the question 
open to ulterior proceedings. On this prin¬ 
ciple Mr. Abbot gave his casting vote (as to 
the disgraceful part of this charge) on the 
8th April 1805. Lord Melville, as is well 
known, was afterwards tried by impeachment. 


10 Biographical Memoir 

and found Not guilty by his peers in June 
1806. 

At the general elections of 1806, 1807 and 
1812, Mr. Abbot was elected member for 
the university of Oxford; and on a question 
very interesting to his constituents, his opi¬ 
nion on one occasion was remarkably influen¬ 
tial. The Roman Catholic question had been 
frequently agitated in the House of Commons 
from the year 1805, and with growing strength 
on the part of those who wished to remove 
the remaining disabilities of the Roman Ca¬ 
tholics. In the year 1813 they succeeded 
so far as to carry a bill to this effect through 
a second reading by a majority of forty-two ; 
but in the committee on the bill (24th May) 
the Speaker moved that the important clause 
for admitting Roman Catholics into the legis¬ 
lature should be left out of the bill; and 
supported his motion by a speech of great 
ability, which made such impression on the 
committee that a majority of four decided 
against the clause, and the bill in conse¬ 
quence was abandoned. 

It is sufficiently remarkable that during 


of 2Lori) €olcge0tet\ 


11 


Lord Colchester’s last illness, the long-con¬ 
tested Roman Catholic question was success¬ 
ful ; thus his lordship escaped from witnessing 
personally the majorities by which that bill 
was carried through the House of Lords, yet 
lived long enough to breathe his sincere desire 
that experience may prove his own apprehen¬ 
sions to have been groundless. 

The forms of the House of Commons hav¬ 
ing been accommodated to the variegated 
business of nearly three centuries now on 
record, cannot but be convenient and plastic 
for all purposes; in no place does so much 
regularity spring out of seeming hurry and 
disorder. Yet the increasing number of pri¬ 
vate bills (200 or 300 in a session) had given 
occasion for complaints of injuries sustained 
from the haste or inattention of members : 
thereupon the Speaker, watchful of the pro¬ 
tection of private rights in private bills, and 
of the reputation of the House of Commons, 
recommended for the sanction of the House, 
in the year 1811, the plan of an office for 
entry of notices, called the “ Private Bill 
Office,” where the progress of every private 


12 


Btogcapfitcal ftemotr 


bill is open to all inquirers; and the mono¬ 
poly of practice in soliciting such bills being 
thus abolished, complaint was no longer 
heard. 

Another inconvenience personal to mem¬ 
bers, had gradually arisen from the same 
overwhelming quantity of private business. 
In former times the Votes of a day, seldom 
or never exceeding a printed sheet, were dis¬ 
tributed so regularly as to have obtained 
considerable sale as a newspaper; but the 
increasing quantity of matter, and the pro¬ 
longed sitting of the House, had by degrees 
so delayed the delivery of the Votes, that 
before Mr. Abbot came to the chair they 
were usually two or three days in arrear, and 
sometimes a whole week. Mr. Speaker 
Abbot saw this with dissatisfaction, and 
after due consideration of the interests and 
habits which had grown up in consequence 
of this dilatory publication, he resolved to 
attempt a reformation suitable to the change 
of hours and the load of public and private 
business. For this purpose the marginal 
notes of the old-fashioned Votes were adopted 


of liovti Colcjjegter* 


13 


as a basis upon which to add whatever neces¬ 
sity or perspicuity demanded; inserting also 
matters of information formerly reserved for 
the Journals, and giving a short narrative of 
some proceedings which even the Journals, 
(which are now printed weekly instead of 
annually) do not furnish. 

A further convenience resulted from the 
early distribution of the Votes: the business 
of the current day was thenceforth displayed 
on every member’s breakfast table; and this 
sort of information has now become so copious 
and particular, that the sitting of every se¬ 
lect committee, public and private, and all 
the material notices given in the Private Bill 
Office, appear in the votes, to whatever hour 
in the preceding night the sitting of the House 
is protracted. 

This reform and improvement of the Votes 
was the last labour of Speaker Abbot. A se¬ 
rious attack of the same disease (erysipelas) 
which twelve years afterwards proved fatal 
to him, compelled him to quit his office in 
1817; and all members who knew him in the 
chair feel the value of this legacy to the 


14 Biographical Remote 

House,—while younger members can scarcely 
believe that business could proceed with 
regularity and comfort in the comparative 
obscurity of earlier years. Upon the retire¬ 
ment of Mr. Abbot, the House of Commons 
addressed the King to bestow upon him some 
mark of his royal favour; and he was created 
a peer by the title of Baron Colchester, and 
a pension of £.4,000 a year to himself, and 
£. 3,000 to his next successor in the title, was 
voted by Parliament. He shortly afterwards 
went abroad for the recovery of his health, 
and after a residence of three years chiefly in 
France and Italy, he returned to England, 
and divided his time between a London resi¬ 
dence and his seat at Kidbrooke, near East 
Grinstead, where he solaced such of his hours 
as were vacant from the duties of an active 
magistrate, in observing the progress of his 
plantations of timber trees, in which he 
greatly delighted. In this retirement he ex¬ 
perienced the advantage of his early attention 
to classical pursuits. They had formed his 
taste, and had given to the short composi¬ 
tions contained in this volume a peculiar 


of ilorti Colcfiegter. 


15 


neatness and force of expression. They now 
afforded him much rational and ele«'ant 
amusement, and brought with them many of 
those pleasing recollections of former years 
which in a well regulated mind produce one 
of the greatest pleasures of advanced life. 

Lord Colchester carried into the House 
of Lords the same species of improvement 
which he had effected in the House of Com¬ 
mons, and their Lordships will owe to his 
short appearance among them the daily pub¬ 
lication and distribution of their proceed¬ 
ings. They are also indebted to him for the 
establishment of a library, on the same plan 
as that at the House of Commons. 

In the year 1827, his lordship made a 
considerable journey to the northern High¬ 
lands of Scotland, which possessed peculiar 
claims to his notice. Soon after he became 
Speaker, Lord Sidmouth’s administration, 
especially Mr. Vansittart (then secretary of 
the treasury, now Lord Bexley), became 
attentive to the improvement of the High¬ 
lands. Roads were surveyed and planned 
to a great extent, and a Canal of unusual 


16 Btograpgual Remote 

magnitude; and lest the course of improve¬ 
ment should depend too much upon the per¬ 
manence of any administration, the Speaker 
of the House of Commons was named first 
in the Parliamentary Commission,—with 
strict propriety, as superintending a large 
expenditure of money granted from time to 
time by Parliament for these purposes. 

Roads to the extent of 900 miles, besides 
many large bridges, have thus been com¬ 
pleted at the joint expense of the public and 
of the Highland counties ; about 500,000 1 . 
having been judiciously and frugally ex¬ 
pended in this manner under the care of the 
late Speaker, whose vigilance never slept 
when Highland business was brought before 
him. His visit to the Roads, the Caledo¬ 
nian canal, and the new Churches, placed 
him in pleasing contact with a population 
sensible of the benefits bestowed upon them, 
and eager to show him every token of heart¬ 
felt respect; nor did he fail at his return to 
exert himself in refreshing the attention of 
the other commissioners, by statements of 
the vast improvements, under their fostering 


of ILotD Colcfiegter, 17 

care, which he had personally witnessed in 
the Highlands. 

Lord Colchester was four times chosen 
Speaker unanimously, after his first election. 
He retired from office on the 30th May 1817, 
having filled the chair during fifteen years. 

The brilliant victories of our army and 
navy during the war were often the theme 
of his official speeches, about twenty of 
which, including that addressed to the Duke 
of Wellington, may be quoted as models of 
just eulogy, appropriate to the person and to 
the exploit, with a degree of classic terse¬ 
ness and chastity of ornament suitable to 
the dignity of that House which had di¬ 
rected the national thanks to be thus com¬ 
municated. 

The only works of Lord Colchester, 
hitherto printed are, the Practice of the 
Chester Circuit, published in 1795, with a 
preface, recommending those alterations in 
the Welsh judicature which now appear 
likely to be carried into effect: a collection 
of the Rules and Orders of the Court of King’s 
Bench (from the records of his then office). 


c 


18 


Biographical 


in 1797 : he also published a pamphlet con¬ 
taining six of his speeches on the Roman 
Catholic question, with preliminary obser¬ 
vations on the state of that question as it 
stood in November 1828. 

Lord Colchester married, December 29th, 
1796, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir Philip 
Gibbes, bart.; and has left two sons: Charles 
(born in 1798), a post captain in the royal 
navy, now Lord Colchester; and Philip 
Henry (born after his father’s return from 
Ireland in 1802), a young barrister of great 
promise. 

His lordship died on the 8th May 1829, 
at his house in Spring-gardens, in the seventy- 
second year of his age; and his remains were 
interred privately in Westminster Abbey, by 
the side of those of his mother. 


THANKS 


TO 


MILITARY OFFICERS. 

































































































COPENHAGEN: 


1 Feb. 1808. 

Major-general the Honourable Edward Finch , 
Major-general Thomas Grosvcnor , and Major- 
general the Right honourable Sir Arthur Wel¬ 
lesley , being come to the House, Mr. Speaker 
acquainted them, that the House had, upon 
Thursday last, resolved, that the Thanks of 
this House be given to them for the zeal, intre¬ 
pidity and exertion, which they displayed in the 
various operations which were necessary for 
conducting the siege, and effecting the surren¬ 
der of the navy and arsenal of Copenhagen ; 
and Mr. Speaker gave them the Thanks of the 
House accordingly, as followeth : 

M ajor-general Finch, Major-general 
Grosvenor, and Major-general Sir Arthur 
Wellesley : 

THIS House, contemplating the services 
performed by His Majesty’s army on the 


22 


COPENHAGEN; l8o8. 

late Danish expedition, and applauding the 
zeal, intrepidity and exertion, displayed by 
the general officers employed in the reduc¬ 
tion of Copenhagen, has conferred upon 
them the high honour of its approbation 
and thanks: a higher reward this House 
has not to bestow. 

In distributing these honours, it is at all 
times matter of just pride and satisfaction 
to this House, to behold within its own walls 
any of those distinguished persons whose 
merit has raised them to this eminence. 

But I should indeed be wanting to the 
full expression of those sentiments which 
animate this House and the whole country, 
if I forbore to notice, that we are on this 
day crowning with our thanks one gallant 
officer, long since known to the gratitude of 
this House,—who has long trodden the paths 
of glory, whose genius and valour have 
already extended our fame and empire, 
whose sword has been the terror of our dis¬ 
tant enemies, and will not now be drawn in 
vain to defend the seat of empire itself, and 
the throne of his Sovereign. 


COPENHAGEN; l8o8. 


2‘3 


I am charged to deliver the thanks of this 
House to you all ; and I do accordingly 
thank you in the name of the Commons of 
the United Kingdom, “ for your zeal, intre¬ 
pidity and exertion, displayed in the various 
operations which were necessary for con¬ 
ducting the siege, and effecting the surren¬ 
der of the navy and arsenal of Copen¬ 
hagen.” 

Upon which Major-general Finch said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I beg leave most respectfully to return you 
my thanks for the obliging and very flatter¬ 
ing terms in which you have communicated 
a Resolution of the House, which reflects such 
high and distinguished honour on every indi¬ 
vidual included in it; allow me. Sir (if I may 
judge from my own feelings), to assure you 
and the House, that nothing can make a 
stronger impression on the mind of any one 
devoted to the service of his country, than 
to know that any act of duty, in which he 
may have had even an humble part, has been 

c 4 


24 


COPENHAGEN; l8o8. 


thought worthy of the notice and approba¬ 
tion of this House. 

> 

Major-general Grosvenor then said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

It is impossible to have communicated to 
me, in my place in this House, the high and 
distinguished honour, such as I hold the 
thanks of Parliament to be, without exciting 
in my breast feelings and sensations such as 
I am unable to suppress. 

Sir, the proudest recompence, the most 
valuable remuneration a soldier can look to, 
as a reward for public service, is the thanks 
of his country. 

When I consider my own humble services, 
I feel oppressed and overcome as it were by 
the value I cannot but attach to the com¬ 
munication you make me ; and the more 
open, Sir, to this feeling, impressed as I am 
with the handsome and flattering manner in 
which you have been pleased to convey the 
vote of the House to my brother officers and 
myself. 


/ 


COPENHAGEN; l8o8. 


25 


Major-general Sir Arthur Wellesley 
then said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I consider myself fortunate that I was em¬ 
ployed by His Majesty on a service which 
this House has considered of such import¬ 
ance, as to have marked with its approbation 
the conduct of those officers and troops who 
have performed it. The honour which this 
House has conferred upon my honourable 
friends and myself, is justly considered by 
the officers of the navy and army as the 
highest which this country can confer; it is 
the object of the ambition of all who are 
employed in His Majesty’s service, and to 
obtain it has doubtless been the motive of 
many of those acts of valour and good con¬ 
duct which have tended so eminently to the 
glory, and have advanced the prosperity and 
advantage of this country. 

I can assure the House, that I am most 
sensible of the great honour which they have 
done me; and I beg leave to take this oppor¬ 
tunity of returning you, Sir, my thanks, for 


26 


COPENHAGEN; l8o8. 


the handsome terms, respecting myself, in 
which your kindness to me has induced you 
to convey the resolution of the House. 


Captain Sir Home Popham being come to the 
House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him, that the 
House had, upon Thursday last, resolved, 
that the Thanks of this House be given to 
him for his cordial and effectual co-operation 
with the land forces during the siege of 
Copenhagen , and for his indefatigable activity 
and exertions in equipping the Danish navy 
for sea, and effecting the embarkation and 
removal of the naval stores from the arsenal 
at that place: and Mr. Speaker gave him the 
Thanks of the House accordingly, as followeth : 

Captain Sir Home Popham, 

THE prompt and able distribution of His 
Majesty’s fleet, during the late important 
expedition to the Baltic ; the zeal and intel¬ 
ligence displayed by His Majesty’s naval 
forces in supporting the operations of the 
besieging army ; and their subsequent exer¬ 
tions on completing the service upon which 



COPENHAGEN; l8o8. 27 

they were employed, have obtained the 
approbation and thanks of this House. 

Amongst the gallant officers of that fleet, 
whose names have been honoured with this 
high distinction, I have to congratulate you 
that your’s also stands recorded. 

And I do now accordingly, by the com¬ 
mand of this House, give their thanks to 
you, “ for your cordial and effectual co¬ 
operation with His Majesty’s land forces 
during the siege of Copenhagen; and for 
your indefatigable activity and exertions in 
equipping the Danish navy for sea, and 
effecting the embarkation and removal of 
the naval stores from the arsenal of that 
place.” 

Upon which Sir Home Popham said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I beg leave, Sir, to express through you 
to this honourable House, my most profound 
sense of the notice it has been pleased to 
take of my humble participation in the 
operations of the late expedition to Copen¬ 
hagen. 


28 


COPENHAGEN; 1 808 . 


No man, Sir, can be insensible to the dis¬ 
tinction which this House has conferred 
upon the army and navy on the present 
occasion; no man prizes that distinction 
higher than the value I set upon it; and I 
beg leave to assure the House, as the only 
tribute of gratitude which I can offer, that 
it shall be the first principle of my life, re¬ 
gardless of all consequences to myself, to 
promote, by the full exercise of my poor 
faculties, the service of our much esteemed 
country, and the glory of our virtuous 
Sovereign. 

With the manner which you have con¬ 
veyed this honourable testimony of appro¬ 
bation I am most deeply impressed; and 
I beg leave to offer you my sincere and very 
grateful acknowledgments. 


VIMIERA; 1809. 


29 


VIMIERA: 

27 Jan. 1809. 

Lieutenant-general the Right honourable Sir 
Arthur Wellesley being come to the House, 
Mr. Speaker acquainted him, that the House 
had, upon Wednesday last, resolved, that the 
Thanks of this House be given to him for the 
distinguished valour, ability, and conduct, 
displayed by him on the 17th and 21st of 
August last, in Portugal , on the latter of which 
days he obtained at Vimiera , over the army of 
the enemy, a signal victory, honourable and 
glorious to the British arms ; and Mr. Speaker 
gave him the Thanks of the House accord¬ 
ingly, as followeth : 

Lieut.-general Sir Arthur Wellesley, 

AFTER the events of the last year, it 
was impossible that Parliament should re¬ 
assemble without directing its earliest 
attention to the services of the British army 
in Portugal; and amidst the contending 
opinions which have prevailed upon other 
questions, the public voice has been loud 


30 vimiera; 1809. 

and general in admiration of your splendid 
achievements. 

It is your praise to have inspired your 
troops with unshaken confidence and un¬ 
bounded ardour; to have commanded, not 
the obedience alone, but the hearts and 
affections of your companions in arms; and, 
having planned your operations with the 
skill and promptitude which have so emi¬ 
nently characterized all your former exer¬ 
tions, you have again led the armies of your 
country to battle, with the same deliberate 
valour, and triumphant success, which have 
long since rendered your name illustrious in 
the remotest parts of this empire. 

Military glory has ever been dear to this 
nation; and great military exploits in the 
field, or upon the ocean, have their sure 
reward in Royal favour, and the gratitude 
of Parliament. It is, therefore, with the 
highest satisfaction that, in this fresh in¬ 
stance, I now proceed to deliver to you the 
thanks of this House; and I do now ac¬ 
cordingly, by the command, and in the name, 
of the Commons of the United Kingdom of 


VIMIERA; 1809. 


31 


Great Britain and Ireland, thank you for the 
distinguished valour, ability, and conduct, 
displayed by you on the 17th and 21st of 
August last, in Portugal, on the latter of 
which days you obtained at Vimiera, over 
the army of the enemy, a signal victory, 
honourable and glorious to the British 
arms. 

Upon which Sir Arthur Wellesley 
said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I beg leave to express my acknowledg¬ 
ments to the House for the high honour 
which they have conferred upon me, by the 
notice which they have taken, and the ap¬ 
probation they have conveyed, of my con¬ 
duct during the time I commanded His 
Majesty’s troops in Portugal. 

No man can value more highly than I do 
the honourable distinction which has been 
conferred upon me; a distinction which it is 
in the power of the representatives of a free 
people alone to bestow, and which it is the 
peculiar advantage of the officers and soldiers 


32 


ROLEIA AND 


in the service of His Majesty to have held 
out to them as the object of their ambition, 
and to receive as the reward of their services. 

I beg leave, at the same time, to return 
you. Sir, my thanks for the handsome terms 
in which your kindness, I ought to say your 
partiality for me, has induced you to con¬ 
vey the approbation of the House. 


ROLEIA and VIMIERA: 

1 Feb. 1809. 

Brigadier-general Henry Fane being come to 
the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him, that 
the House had, upon Wednesday last, resolved, 
that the Thanks of this House be given to him, 
for his skilful and gallant exertions against the 
enemy in the battles of Roleia and Vimiera , 
by which he reflected so much lustre on His 
Majesty’s arms; and Mr. Speaker gave him 
the Thanks of the House accordingly, as 
followeth : 

Brigadier-general Fane, 

UPON the late expedition to Portugal, it 
was your fortune to hold a distinguished 




vimiera; 1809. 


33 


command in the British army which repeat¬ 
edly gave battle to the forces of France. 
The event of such conflicts could not be 
doubtful; British valour and discipline 
triumphed; and those who commanded and 
directed their exertions were covered with 
glory. 

Whenever the battles of Roleia and 
Vimiera shall be named (and they will be 
long and often named with exultation), your 
heart may glow with the conscious and ho¬ 
nourable pride, that your sword upon those 
days was not drawn in vain; and although 
that gallant and accomplished officer, who, 
placed by your side, jointly with you, sus¬ 
tained the brunt of the day at Vimiera, has 
since been unhappily swept away by the 
course of human events beyond the reach of 
our thanks, his brave brethren in arms may 
rest assured, that the name of General An- 
struther will live, not unhonoured, in the sad 
and grateful remembrance of his country. 

But, Sir, in what concerns your exploits 
in Portugal, my present duty stops here; 
and I am, in the first place, to deliver to 

n 


34 RO LEI A AND VIMIERA; 1 809 . 

you the thanks of this House, in the name 
of the Commons of this United Kingdom, 
for your skilful and gallant exertions against 
the enemy in the battles of Roleia and 
Vimiera, by which you reflected so much 
lustre on His Majesty’s arms. 

Upon which Brigadier-general Fane said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

Although I am unable to express, in ade¬ 
quate language, the very high sense I enter¬ 
tain of the honour conferred upon me, upon 
the present occasion, yet I trust the House 
will do me the justice to believe that I feel 
it as I ought. 

To you. Sir, I have to offer my warmest 
thanks for the very flattering manner in 
which you have communicated the vote of 
the House. 


CORUNNA; 1809. 


35 


CORUNNA: 

1 Feb. 1809. 

Lieutenant-general Alexander Mackenzie Fraser 
being also come to the House, and Brigadier- 
general Henry Fane being present, Mr. ' 

Speaker acquainted them, that the House had, 
upon Wednesday last, resolved, that the 
Thanks of this House be given to them for 
their distinguished conduct and exemplary 
valour displayed in the battle of Corunna , 
whereby the complete repulse and signal defeat « 

of the enemy, on every point of attack, was 
effected, and the safe and unmolested embark¬ 
ation of the army secured in the presence of 
a French army of superior force; and Mr. 

Speaker gave them the Thanks of the House 
accordingly, as followeth: 

Lieutenant-general Mackenzie F ra s e r , 
and Brigadier-general Fane, 

THE deep grief which this nation has felt, 
for the loss it has experienced by the death 
of that illustrious commander the late Sir 
John Moore, in the memorable battle of 
Corunna, has been mitigated in some degree, 

n 2 


36 


CORUNNA; 1809. 


by the reflection, that it still numbers 
amongst its brave defenders, many gallant 
and distinguished officers, who, formed and 
fired by his great example, we may con¬ 
fidently expect, will emulate his glory. 

In this honourable list your names stand 
enrolled. And this House, acknowledging 
with gratitude your important services upon 
that lamented but glorious day, has com¬ 
manded me to deliver you its thanks: and 
I do accordingly, in the name of the Com¬ 
mons of this United Kingdom, thank you 
for your distinguished conduct and exem¬ 
plary valour displayed in the battle of 
Corunna, whereby the complete repulse and 
signal defeat of the enemy, on every point 
of attack, was effected, and the safe and 
unmolested embarkation of the army se¬ 
cured in the presence of a French army of 
superior force. 

Upon which Lieutenant-general Fraser 
said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

The high and distinguished honour con- 


CORUNNA; 1809. 


37 


ferred upon us by the House calls for our 
warmest acknowledgment and gratitude, 
and will be an incitement to us, if any were 
wanting, to use every exertion in our power 
to add fresh lustre to His Majesty’s arms, 
whenever an opportunity offers. 

Permit me, Sir, also to offer you my thanks 
for the handsome and flattering manner in 
which you have been pleased to convey to 
me the sentiments of the House. 


Rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood being come to 
the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him, that 
the House had, upon Wednesday last, resolved, 
that the Thanks of this House be given to 
him for his most effectual and able disposition 
of the ships and transports, and for his effec¬ 
tual exertions in accomplishing the embark¬ 
ation of His Majesty’s troops at Corunna on 
the late memorable occasion; and Mr. Speaker 
gave him the Thanks of the House accord¬ 
ingly, as folioweth: 

Rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood, 

. THE various and brilliant services which 
have marked the splendid career of your 

d 3 



38 CORUNNA; 1809. 

naval glory have long since made you known 
to the recorded gratitude of Parliament; 
and the memorable and difficult service which 
you have recently contributed to accomplish 
at Corunna has called forth this fresh tribute 
of its applause. 

I do therefore now, by the command, and 
in the name of the Commons of this United 
Kingdom, thank you for your most able dis¬ 
position of the ships and transports, and 
for your effectual exertions in accomplishing 
the embarkation of His Majesty’s troops at 
Corunna, on the late memorable occasion. 

Upon which Rear-admiral Sir Samuel 
Hood said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I beg leave to offer my most sincere thanks 
for the honour conferred on me, by the vote * 
of this House; it affords me peculiar satis¬ 
faction that in the performance of my duty 
only, my services have met the approbation 
of the representatives of my countrymen, 
which I shall always endeavour to merit. 

For the very handsome manner, Sir, you 


UO LEI A AND VIMIERA ; 1809. 39 


have been pleased to communicate this to 
me, I request you to accept my warmest 
acknowledgments. 


ROLEIA and VIMIERA: 

6 Feb. 1809. 

Major-general Ferguson being come to the 
House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him, that the 
House had, upon the 25th day of January last, 
resolved, that the Thanks of this House be 
given to him for his skilful and gallant exer¬ 
tions against the enemy in the battles of Roleia 
and Vimiera, by which he reflected so much 
lustre on His Majesty’s arms; and Mr. Speaker 
gave him the Thanks of the House accordingly, 
as followeth: 

Major-general Ferguson, 

AMONGST the many high privileges 
enjoyed under this free constitution, it is of 
great public advantage, that they who serve 
their country in the field, may also maintain 
its rights and assist its councils in the 

d 4 




40 


ROLEIA AND 


senate ; and this House beholds at all times 
with peculiar pride and satisfaction those 
gallant officers who, returning from foreign 
wars to resume their duties in this place, 
appear again amongst us with increased 
reputation and honour. 

Whenever the fleets and armies of this 
country go forth, the nation unremittingly 
contemplates the progress of their opera¬ 
tions ; and, looking with anxious hope for 
a victorious result, it nevertheless confidently 
expects that, in every event, each of its mili¬ 
tary leaders will not fail to combine, with a 
ready skill in the arts of modern warfare, 
the firm and undaunted courage of his an¬ 
cestors. These hopes and these expectations 
you have not disappointed upon the late 
expedition to Portugal; and your country 
will long remember with admiration, your 
intrepid conduct in the battle of Roleia, and 
your signal display of judgment and valour 
in the battle of Vimiera. 

These exploits have obtained for you the 
thanks of Parliament, which you will re¬ 
ceive not more as the tribute of its gratitude. 


VIMIERA } 1809. 4 1 

than as a mark and note of the further 
services which it expects at your hands. 

I do, therefore,, in the name and by the 
command of the Commons of this United 
Kingdom, thank you for your skilful and 
gallant exertions against the enemy in the 
battles of Roleia and Vimiera, by which you 
reflected so much lustre on His Majesty’s 
arms. 

Upon which Major-general Ferguson 
said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I beg leave to return my warmest acknow¬ 
ledgments for the high and distinguished 
honour which this House has been pleased 
to confer on me. 

Having ever considered that the greatest 
reward which a soldier can attain is the 
approbation of his country, the thanks of 
this House must be received by me with 
gratitude and pride. I am well aware, how¬ 
ever, that I owe this honour not to my own 
merit, but to my singular good fortune, in 
commanding such officers and such men as 


42 ROLEIA ANI) VIMIERA; 1 Bog. 

were placed under my immediate orders, and 
in being myself under the guidance of a 
general, whose talents, decision, and bravery, 
justly secured to him the confidence of every 
man in his army. 

Could any thing in my mind enhance the 
value of the thanks of this House, it would 
be the very handsome (but too flattering) 
manner in which you. Sir, have been pleased 
to communicate them. 


TALA VEKA ; 1 8 I O. 


43 


TALAVERA: 

5 Feb. 1810 . 

Brigadier-general the Honourable Charles Stewart 
being come to the House, Mr. Speaker ac¬ 
quainted him that the House had, upon Thurs¬ 
day last, resolved, that the Thanks of this 
House be given to him for his distinguished 
exertions on the 27th and 28th of July last, in 
the memorable battle of Talavera , which ter¬ 
minated in the signal defeat of the forces of the 
enemy; and Mr. Speaker gave him the Thanks 
of the House accordingly, as followeth : 

Brigadier-general Charles Stewart, 

AMONGST the gallant officers to whom 
this House has declared its gratitude for their 
distinguished services in Spain, your name 
has the honour to stand enrolled. 

During the progress of the two last cam¬ 
paigns in Spain and Portugal, whoever has 
turned his eyes towards the bold and perilous 
operations of our armies in Leon and Gallicia; 
whoever has contemplated the brilliant pas¬ 
sage of the British troops across the Douro, 


44 


talavera; 1810. 


an exploit which struck the enemy himself 
with admiration as well as dismay; must have 
marked throughout those memorable achieve- 
ments that spirit of energy and enterprize 
with which you have rapidly advanced in the 
career of military fame, and by which you 
have now fixed your name for ever in the 
annals of your country, as a chief sharer in 
those immortal laurels won by British forti¬ 
tude and valour in the glorious and hard- 
fought battles of Talavera. 

Upon the great commander under whom 
it was there your pride and felicity to serve, 
his Sovereign, this House, and the voice of 
an applauding empire, have conferred those 
signal testimonies of honour and gratitude 
which posterity will seal with its undoubting 
approbation : and it is no mean part of the 
merits for which you are to be this day 
crowned with our thanks, that you were 
chosen by such a commander to be the 
companion of his councils, and the sure hand 
to which he could entrust the prompt and 
effectual direction of his comprehensive and 
victorious operations. 


talavera; 1810. 


45 


To you. Sir, I am therefore now to deliver 
the thanks of this House; and I do accord¬ 
ingly, in the name and by the command of 
the Commons of the United Kingdom, thank 
you for your distinguished exertions on the 
•27th and 28th days of July last, in the me¬ 
morable battles of Talavera, which terminated 
in the signal defeat of the forces of the 
enemy. 

Upon which Brigadier-general Stewart 
said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I feel myself totally inadequate to express 
the high sense I entertain of the distinguished 
honour that has been conferred upon me, an 
honour far exceeding any little services I may 
have rendered in the fortunate situations in 
which I have been placed : if a sentiment of 
regret could at such a moment arise in my 
mind, it would be that (from the circum¬ 
stance of a severe indisposition) I stand alone 
here on the present occasion, the army being 
still on service, and that I am not accompa¬ 
nied by my gallant brother officers (equally 


46 TALAVERA ; l8lO. 

members of this House), who are far more 
eminently entitled to its thanks, and to the 
applause of their country, than myself. 

If I might venture to arrogate any thing 
beyond the most anxious zeal for the King’s 
service, and a sincere love for the profession 
I belong to, it is an ardent desire to follow 
the footsteps of my great and gallant com¬ 
mander, to whose sole abilities and exertions 
we stand indebted not only for the battle of 
Talavera, but for all those successes which 
have rendered him alike an ornament to his 
country and a terror to her foes : to follow 
his bright example, to emulate his achieve¬ 
ments, and be thought worthy of his confi¬ 
dence, I shall ever consider as the surest 
passport to the greatest distinction that can 
be conferred on a soldier; I mean the appro¬ 
bation of this honourable House. 

I must now offer my sincerest acknow¬ 
ledgments to you. Sir, for the very marked 
kindness you have shown me in expressing 
to me the thanks of this House, by conde¬ 
scending to enumerate my humble services 
in the partial manner you have done; and 


talavera; 1810. 


47 


I beg to assure you it will be my anxious 
study to avail myself of all occasions to merit 
the honour which has this day been conferred 
upon me. 


8 Mar. 1810. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton , baronet, 
and Brigadier-general George Anson , being 
come to the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted 
them that the House had, upon the 1st day of 
February last, resolved, that the Thanks of 
this House be given to them for their distin¬ 
guished exertions on the 27th and 28th of July 
last, in the memorable battle of Talavera , 
which terminated in the signal defeat of the 
forces of the enemy; and Mr. Speaker gave 
them the Thanks of the House accordingly, as 
followeth : 

Lieut.-general Sir Stapleton Cotton, 
and Brigadier-general Anson, 

UPON your return from the eventful wars 
of Spain, whatever variance of opinion, what¬ 
ever alternation of hopes and apprehensions. 



4 8 


talaveka; 1810. 


you may have found to prevail in this coun¬ 
try respecting the progress and final issue of 
that awful contest, nevertheless, your dis¬ 
tinguished conduct and services have not 
failed to call forth one universal expression 
of applause and admiration. 

The British cavalry has been long renowned 
in war. Victorious in other times over the 
troops of France, it feared not again to meet 
its former rivals, flushed even as they were 
with the pride of conquest, and the spoil of 
many nations. Led by your swords, it again 
displayed a strength and valour irresistible 
in the shock of arms, and renewed its ancient 
triumphs in the hard-fought field of Talavera. 
When the history of these memorable days 
shall be read by our latest descendants, be 
assured that your names will be repeated 
with exultation, and your deeds recounted 
in the list of those heroic achievements. 

You serve not an ungrateful country. It 
well knows that military fame is national 
power. And this House, ever prompt to 
proclaim its gratitude for eminent services in 
war, has therefore conferred upon you the 


talavera; 1810. 49 

honour of its unanimous thanks. And I do 
now accordingly, in the name and by the 
command of the Commons of the United 
Kingdom, thank you for your distinguished 
exertions on the 27th and 28th days of July 
last, in the memorable battle of Talavera, 
which terminated in the signal defeat of the 
forces of the enemy. 

Upon which Lieut.-general SirSTAPLETON 
Cotton said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

In endeavouring to express my sense of the 
very high honour which has been conferred 
upon me, and which has been communicated 
to me by you. Sir, in so flattering a manner, 
I fear I shall fall far short of what my feel¬ 
ings are upon this occasion. 

To receive the thanks of Parliament is one 
of the highest rewards to which a soldier can 
aspire; and believe me, Sir, I shall ever con¬ 
sider it my greatest pride to have been so 
honoured : this, I may venture to say, is the 
feeling of all my brother officers and soldiers 
who had the good fortune to be commanded 


E 


50 


T A LAVER A; l 8 l 0 . 


by one of the most able and distinguished 
generals that has adorned the annals of this 
country, and who will, I trust (should an 
opportunity other), again prove to the world 
that a British army is not to be beat by a 
French force of double its numbers. 

Brigadier-general Anson then said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

That any part of my professional conduct 
should have been deemed worthy the parti¬ 
cular notice of this House and of my country, 
is no less honourable than gratifying to my 
feelings : I must, however, be allowed to 
confess myself more indebted for this distin¬ 
guished honour to the exertions of those brave 
soldiers with whom I had the glory of being 
associated, than to any particular merit at¬ 
tached to myself individually. 

I beg to express to this honourable House 
the high sense I entertain of the honour it 
has conferred upon me; and that it will ever 
be the pride of my life to have been thought 
in the slightest degree deserving of its good 
opinion. To you. Sir, I must beg to -make 


ALBUELIA; l 8 l 2 . 


51 


my warmest acknowledgments for the very 
handsome and polite manner in which you 
have conveyed to me the sentiments of this 
House, and for the many very gratifying ex¬ 
pressions with which you have accompanied 
the communication of this most flattering 
distinction. 


ALBUERA: 

3 Feb. 1812. 

Major-general the Honourable Galbraith Lovory 
Cole being come to the House, Mr. Speaker 
acquainted him that the House had, upon the 
7th day of June, in the last Session of Parlia¬ 
ment, resolved, that the Thanks of this House 
be given to him for his distinguished exertions 
on the 1 Gth of May last, in the glorious battle 
at Albuera , which terminated in the signal 
defeat of the enemy’s forces ; and Mr. Speaker 
gave him the Thanks of the House accordingly, 
as followeth: 

Major-general Cole, 

AFTER your long absence upon military 
service we cannot behold your return amongst 
us, without calling to mind the memorable 

E 2 




52 albuera; 1812. 

\ 

events which have signalized the arms of this 
country in modern times, and in which you 
have borne a distinguished part. 

In the annals of our military history, the 
plains of Maida* can never be forgotten; 
where British valour and the steadiness of 
British discipline routed the veteran troops 
of France, and humbled the pride of a pre¬ 
sumptuous enemy; and we cannot forget, 
that in the history of that day, your name 
stands enrolled amongst those whose gallantry 
bore the brunt of the contest and decided its 
issue. 

Pursuing the same career of honour, and 
toiling onwards in the fields of war, you have 
again claimed our admiration and gratitude, 
by your distinguished exertions in the hard- 
fought battle of Albuera: for the commander 
in chief of the allied armies upon that day 
has given us his recorded testimony, that, 
by your experienced eye and judicious va¬ 
lour, the triumph of the day was completed ; 
when you were seen leading on your troops 


* The battle of Maida was fought 4th July 1806. 



albuera; 1812. 


53 


to the charge, and although yourself amongst 
the wounded, yet foremost amongst the vic¬ 
torious. 

These deeds of glory lose not their reward 
with a great and warlike nation. 

I therefore do now, in the name and by 
the command of the Commons of the United 
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, deli¬ 
ver to you their unanimous thanks for your 
distinguished exertions in the glorious battle 
of Albuera. 

Upon which Major-general Cole said: 

Sir, 

To be considered by this House as deserv¬ 
ing their thanks, is certainly highly gratifying 
to my feelings ; but I should ill deserve the 
honour conferred on me, or the situation 
I hold, were I to take that merit to myself 
which is unquestionably due to the uncon¬ 
querable spirit and gallantry of the troops it 
was my good fortune to command on that 
memorable day. To them, and to them alone, 
thanks are due. I beg the House, however, 
will do me the justice to believe, I am fully 

e 3 


54 


SALAMANCA; 1 8 13 . 


sensible of the honour conferred on me; and 
I have to regret my inability to express my 
obligation to you, Sir, for the handsome and 
flattering terms in which you have been 
pleased to convey them. 


SALAMANCA: 

10 Feb. 1813. 

Major-general Henry Clinton and Major-general 
William Henry Pringle being come to the 
House, Mr. Speaker acquainted them that the 
House had, upon the 3d day of December 
last, resolved, that the Thanks of this House 
be given to them for their distinguished exer¬ 
tions in the battle of Salamanca , upon the 22d 
of July last, which terminated in a glorious and 
decisive victory over the enemy’s army ; and 
Mr. Speaker gave them the Thanks of the House 
accordingly, as followeth : 

Major-general Clinton, and Major-general 
Pringle, 

THIS House is always prompt to acknow 7 - 
ledge military merit; and we rejoice to see 




amongst us those who have signalized their 
names in war. 

When the great captain who commands 
our armies in the Peninsula, after a series of 
skilful operations, obtained the opportunity 
for which he had long been anxious, and 
brought the enemy to action in front of Sa¬ 
lamanca : he relates, that the foremost of his 
troops, in their first onset, drove the enemy 
from height to height, and bore down all 
before them; that when the stress of the 
battle in other points had checked the brav¬ 
est of our battalions, and disabled some of 
their most distinguished leaders, the division 
of which Major-general Pringle then took the 
command nevertheless steadily maintained 
the contest; and that when the reserve was 
brought up by Major-general Clinton, the 
issue of the day was rendered no longer doubt¬ 
ful, and the victory was by him completed. 

These plain recitals have marked out your 
exploits for public applause and admiration, 
and to these honours your country has also 
added the tribute of her public gratitude. 

I do therefore now, in the name and by 

e 4 


56 


SALAMANCA,’ 1 8 1 3. 


the command of the Commons of Great Bri¬ 
tain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, 
deliver to you, severally, their unanimous 
thanks, for your distinguished exertions in 
the battle of Salamanca, upon the 22d of 
July last, which terminated in a glorious and 
decisive victory over the enemy’s army. 

Upon which Major-general Clinton said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I assure you. Sir, I set the greatest value 
on the honour which has been conferred upon 
me by the vote 'of the House. 

I consider such an acknowledgment of 
services rendered to our country to be amongst 
the highest recompenses which can be be¬ 
stowed. 

This honourable reward, added to the con¬ 
sciousness which I enjoy of having always 
zealously endeavoured to be useful to the 
army and to my country, affords me peculiar 
gratification; but I should be ungrateful to¬ 
wards those brave men whom I had the 
honour to command upon the occasion to 
which you have particularly alluded, if I were 


SALAMANCA ; 1 8 1 3. 


57 


not to acknowledge how much I feel indebted 
for the honour which I have just received, to 
their noble conduct and persevering gallantry 
throughout the trials of that arduous but 
glorious day. 

I feel. Sir, very sensibly, your kindness in 
the flattering manner in which you have been 
so good as to communicate to me the vote of 
the House, and for which I beg you will do 
me the honour to accept my sincere thanks. 

Then Major-general Pringle said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I feel most sensibly the high honour which 
has been conferred on me by the thanks of 
this House. I am well aware that very little 
of the success of that glorious day at Sala¬ 
manca can be attributed to any feeble efforts 
of mine, but to the bravery of those troops 
which I had the good fortune to command. 
I shall, however, always consider it as the 
most fortunate circumstance of my life, the 
having been placed in a situation which has 
procured me the high honour which I have 
this day received. I beg leave to return you? 


58 


SALAMANCA; 1 8l 3. 


Sir, my thanks for the very flattering terms 
in which you have been pleased to express 
yourself on my conduct. 


9 March 1813. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton being 
come to the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted 
him, that the House had, upon the 3d day of 
December last, resolved, that the Thanks of 
the House be given to him, for his distin¬ 
guished exertions in the battle of Salamanca 
upon the 22d of July last, which terminated 
in a glorious and decisive victory over the 
enemy’s army ; and Mr. Speaker gave him the 
Thanks of the House accordingly, as fol¬ 
lowed! : 

Lieut.-general Sir Stapleton Cotton, 

IN this interval between the active seasons 
of war, your proper sphere of duty is within 
these walls; and we hail with pride and 
pleasure your return amongst us, bringing 
with you fresh marks of royal favour, the 
just reward of fresh services and triumphs. 

Descended from a long line of ancestors, 
whose names are recorded in the earliest 



SALAMANCA; 1813. 


59 


ages of our history, and characterized with 
those qualities of prudence, generosity, and 
valour, which have laid the foundations of 
English greatness, your race has exhibited 
many a model of that splendid worth which 
dignifies the gentlemen of England, always 
prompt to discharge the laborious duties of 
civil life, and never slow to take up arms at 
the call of their country. Such, in an emi¬ 
nent degree, was that venerated person from 
whom you have immediately derived your 
own 1 hereditary honours, endeared by his 
active virtues to the public men of his own 
times, not unknown to some who still sit 
amongst us, and ever remembered by myself 
with the sincerest sentiments of respect and 
affection. 

But, Sir, when the path of early life lay 
open to your choice, the then warlike state 
of the world called forth a congenial spirit, 
and your military ardour led you to encoun¬ 
ter the toils and dangers of war in distant 
climates. Trained in the same camps, and 
animated by the same love of glory, as the 
great captain who now commands our armies, 


6o 


SALAMANCA; 1 8 1 3. 


and fills the world with his renown, you have 
bravely followed his brilliant career, and 
shared in his unexampled triumphs. Re¬ 
nouncing the charms of ease, and the seat 
of your ancestors, you have gallantly gone 
forth to the tented fields of Portugal and 
Spain; and, having reaped the harvest of 
our thanks for your achievements in the 
battle of Talavera, you now stand before us 
crowned with the never-fading laurels of 
Salamanca: your squadrons, upon that me¬ 
morable day, overthrowing the enemy’s 
embattled ranks, laid open the road to 
victory; and the work which your gallantry 
had commenced, your triumphant persever¬ 
ance completed. 

These heroic exploits have again entitled 
you to the public gratitude; and I do now, 
in the name and by the command of the 
Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in 
Parliament assembled, deliver to you their 
unanimous thanks for your distinguished ex¬ 
ertions in the battle of Salamanca, on the 22d 
of July last, which terminated in a glorious 
and decisive victory over the enemy’s army. 


salamnaca; 1813. 


61 


Upon which Lieut.-general Sir Stapleton 
Cotton said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I cannot express how much I feel gratified 
and honoured by the vote of thanks which 
has been passed by this House, and con¬ 
veyed to me by you, Sir, in so flattering a 
manner : I am indebted to the discipline 
and bravery of the troops I have the honour 
to command, for this most distinguished 
reward. 

In zeal for the service, and attachment to 
my king and country, I yield to no man : 
my feeble efforts shall ever be exerted to 
render myself worthy of the very great 
honour which has been conferred upon me. 


62 


SALAMANCA 


SALAMANCA and VITTORIA: 

11 Nov. 1813. 

Major-general George Anson being come to the 
House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him with the 
resolutions of the House of the 3d day of 
December 1812, and of the 7th day of July 
last, respecting his services in the battles of 
Salamanca and Vittoria ; and Mr. Speaker 
gave him the Thanks of the House accordingly, 
as followeth : 

Major-general Anson, 

WHEN last I had the honour of address¬ 
ing you from this place, you came to receive 
our thanks for your share in the glorious 
battle of Talavera. 

Pursuing the same career, under the same 
illustrious commander, it is more gratifying 
than surprising to see, that in succeeding 
campaigns you have reaped new laurels. 

The badge of honour which commemo¬ 
rates your services at Salamanca, brings to 
our recollection those skilful operations in 
which you were engaged upon the Douro 


AND V1TTOKIA; 1 8 1 3 . 63 

previous to that memorable day, and the 
destruction which your cavalry poured down 
upon the rear guard of the enemy in their 
flight. 

In the battle of Vittoria the British ca¬ 
valry also took their part; and acting with 
the left wing of the allied army, under the 
immediate command of Lieutenant-oeneral 
Sir Thomas Graham, a name never to be 
mentioned in our military annals without 
the strongest expressions of respect and 
admiration, your squadrons contributed to 
cut off the enemy from their direct retreat 
into France; and all Europe has heard of 
their consequent rout and dispersion. 

To you. Sir, I am therefore commanded 
to express the gratitude of this House; and, 
in the name of the Commons of the United 
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 
Parliament assembled, I do now deliver to 
vou their unanimous thanks, for your dis¬ 
tinguished exertions in the battle of Sala- 
manca, upon the 22d July 1812, which ter¬ 
minated in a glorious and decisive victory 
over the enemy’s army: 


6 4 


SALAMANCA 


And also for your great exertions upon 
the 21st of June last, when the French 
army was completely defeated by the allied 
forces near Vittoria, under the Marquis of 
Wellington’s command. 

Upon which Major-general Anson said : 

Sir, 

This is the second time I have had the 
honour of rising in this distinguished as¬ 
sembly to receive through you, Sir, the 
thanks of my country, to which, and to 
this honourable House, I return my warmest 
acknowledgments. 

I should not do justice to the illustrious 
and noble commander with whom I have had 
the happiness of serving, or to those brave 
troops under his command (whose gallantry 
and discipline I have had such frequent 
opportunities of witnessing), did I not assure 
you, that it is to them I consider myself 
indebted for being placed in this highly ho¬ 
nourable situation: I should be greatly 
deficient also in what is due to myself, were 
I to omit expressing my sincere and most 


AND V 1 TTORIA ; 1813. 65 

heartfelt thanks to you. Sir, for the very 
gratifying manner in which you have con¬ 
veyed to me the sentiments of my country 
on this, and on a former occasion; thus 
conferring upon me an additional mark of 
distinction which it will ever be my pride to 
acknowledge. 


66 


VITTORIA 


VITTORIA and PYRENEES: 

11 Nov. 1813. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton y knight of 
the most honourable order of the Bath, being 
come to the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted 
him with the resolutions of the House of the 
7th day of July last, and of the 8th instant, 
respecting his services in the battle of Vittoria , 
and in the subsequent operations of the allied 
armies in Spain ; and Mr. Speaker gave him 
the Thanks of the House accordingly, as 
followeth : 

Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, 

IN this House your name has been long 
since enrolled amongst those who have ob¬ 
tained the gratitude of their country for 
distinguished military services; and we, this 
day, rejoice to see you amongst us, claiming 
again the tribute of our thanks for fresh 
exploits and achievements. 

Wherever the history of the Peninsular 
war shall be related, your name will be 


AND PYRENEES; 1813. 67 

found amongst the foremost in that race of 
glory; by your sword the British troops 
were led on to the victorious assault of 
Ciudad Rodrigo; by your daring hand the 
British standard was planted upon the castle 
of Badajoz; when the usurper of the Spanish 
throne was driven to make his last stand at 
Vittoria, your battalions filled the centre of 
that formidable line, before which the vete¬ 
ran troops of France fled in terror and 
dismay ; and by your skill, prudence, and 
valour, exerted in a critical hour, the enemy 
was foiled in his desperate attempt to break 
through the barrier of the Pyrenees, and 
raise the blockade of Pampluna. 

For the deeds of Vittoria and the Pyre¬ 
nees, this double harvest of glory in one 
year, the House of Commons has resolved 
again to give you the tribute of its thanks; 
and I do therefore now, in the name and by 
the command of the Commons of the 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Ireland, in Parliament assembled, deliver to 
you their unanimous thanks for your great 
exertions upon the 21st of June last, near 


68 


VITTORIA 


Vittoria, when the French army was com¬ 
pletely defeated by the allied forces under 
the Marquis of Wellington’s command : 

And also, for the valour, steadiness, and 
exertion, so successfully displayed by you 
in repelling the repeated attacks made on 
the position of the allied army, by the whole 
French forces under the command of Marshal 
So lilt, between the 25th July and 1st of 
August last. 

Upon which Lieut.-general Sir Thomas 
Picton said : 

Sir, 

Being entirely unaccustomed to speak in 
public, I have great difficulty in expressing 
the high degree of gratification that I feel 
at the very flattering sentiments which this 
honourable House has been pleased to en¬ 
tertain of my services, and at the very 
handsome manner in which they have been 
communicated. I have always. Sir, regarded 
the thanks of this honourable House as 
one of the highest honours which could be 
conferred on any officer; as the unquestion- 


AND PYRENEES; 1813. 69 

able evidence of past, and the greatest in¬ 
citement to future services. 

But I can apply individually to myself 
but a small part of the high commendations 
which have been so liberally and handsomely 
bestowed: a great proportion is unques¬ 
tionably due to the generals and officers 
commanding brigades and corps in the di¬ 
vision, for the judgment and gallantry with 
which the services alluded to were invariably 
executed ; and to the officers and troops in 
general, for the spirit and intrepidity which 
bore down all resistance, and secured com¬ 
plete success in all the important enter- 
prizes on which the division had the good 
fortune to be employed, during the whole 
course of the war in the Peninsula. 

It will ever be the height of my pride and 
ambition to share the fortunes of a corps 
eminently conspicuous for every high mili¬ 
tary qualification, and actuated by a spirit 
of heroism which renders it truly invincible. 
With such instruments. Sir, you will easily 
conceive that it cannot be difficult to obtain 
success; and it would be unfortunate in the 

f 3 


70 


VITTORIA ; 1814. 


extreme, if we failed entirely to reflect some 
of the brilliant rays of the great luminary 
that directed us. 


VITTORIA: 

24 June 1814 . 

Lieutenant-general the Honourable Sir William 
Stewart, knight of the most honourable order 
of the Bath, being come to the House, Mr. 
Speaker acquainted him, that the House had, 
upon the 7th day of July 1813, resolved, that 
the Thanks of this House be given to him, for 
his great exertions upon the 21st of June 1813, 
near Vittoria, when the French army was com¬ 
pletely defeated by the allied forces under the 
Marquis of Wellingtons command ; and Mr. 
Speaker gave him the Thanks of the House 
accordingly, as followeth: 

Lieut.-general Sir William Stewart, 

I have to thank you in the name of 
your country, for a series of signal and 
splendid services; and first, for that which 
your gallantry achieved in the battle of 
Vittoria. 




vittoria; 1814. 71 

When the usurper of the Spanish crown 
put his fortunes to the last hazard, it was 
the brave second division of the allied army, 
directed by Lord Hill, and acting under 
your command, which began the operations 
of that memorable day, and by its irresis¬ 
tible valour mainly contributed to that vic¬ 
tory, which drove back the armies of France 
to their own frontier, and rescued the Penin¬ 
sula from its invaders and oppressors. 

By your achievements in that field of 
glory, you enrolled your name amongst the 
distinguished officers upon whom this House 
bestowed the honour of its thanks; and I 
do therefore now, in the name and by the 
command of the Commons of the United 
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in 
Parliament assembled, deliver to you their 
unanimous thanks, for your great exertions 
in the splendid and decisive victory obtained 
on the 21st of June 1813, near Vittoria, 
when the French army was completely de¬ 
feated and routed, with the total loss of all 
its artillery, stores, and baggage. 

f 4 


72 


VITTORIA j 1814: 


Upon which Lieut.-general Sir William 
Steward said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

Unaccustomed as I am to express my sen¬ 
timents before so important an assembly of 
my countrymen, or to receive praise for what 
few services I may have rendered in my pro¬ 
fession in so liberal and so generous a 
manner as you have now conveyed the 
sense of this House, I am at a loss to make 
any adequate return; I feel however deeply 
on this proud occasion : I should be ungrate¬ 
ful if I were to take to myself much of the 

1/ 

merit that you have been pleased to ascribe 
to my services in the particular action in 
question; for to those who gallantly supported 
me is the merit due. I cannot advert to that 
battle, and not submit to the memory, and, 
if I may use the term, to the affection of 
this House, the name of one gallant officer 
upon whom the brunt of the contest par¬ 
ticularly fell; I mean. Sir, the late Colonel 
Cadogan : the fall of that officer was glo¬ 
rious, as his last moments were marked by 
the success of a favourite regiment, upon the 


VITTORIA ; 1814. 


73 


magnanimity of whose conduct he kept his 
eyes fixed during the expiring hour of a 
well-finished life. I should be ungrateful 
for the services which were rendered me by 
Colonel Cameron and by General Byng, on 
that and on all occasions, if I were not thus 
publicly to advert to them in my present 
place ; for to their exertions and support am 
I indebted for the success of those measures 
of which I am reaping the rich reward from 
my country, at your too generous hand this 
day. Permit me. Sir, to repeat my gratitude 
for the too kind and too flattering manner 
in which you have communicated the sense 
of this House to me this day; I should be 
truly ungrateful if I did not feel the honour 
in its full force, and I should be doubly so 
towards you. Sir, if I were insensible to the 
peculiarly distinguished mode in which you 
have now conferred that honour upon me. 


74 


PYRENEES; 1814. 


PYRENEES: 

24 June 1814 . 

Major-general William Henry Pringle being also 
come to the House, and Lieutenant-general 
the Honourable Sir William Stewart being 
present, Mr. Speaker acquainted them, that the 
House had, upon the 8th day of November 
last, resolved, that the Thanks of this House 
be given to them for the valour, steadiness, and 
exertion, so successfully displayed by them in 
repelling the repeated attacks made on the 
positions of the allied army, by the whole 
French force, under the command of Marshal 
Soult, between the 25th of July and 1st of 
August last; and Mr. Speaker gave them the 
Thanks of the House accordingly, as fol- 
loweth : 

Lieut.-general Sir William Stewart, 
and Major-general Pringle, 

IT is my duty now to deliver to you con¬ 
jointly the thanks of this House, for your 
gallant and meritorious services in those 
memorable actions which completed the 
liberation of Spain. 


PYRENEES; 1814. 


75 


The inhabitants of the Pyrenees, who 
witnessed those mighty conflicts, will long 
point out to their admiring countrymen, 
those various heights and passes where the 
valour of British troops under your com¬ 
mand at some times repelled the attacks of 
superior force, where at other times its 
steadiness effected a retreat which only led 
to more certain victory, and where finally it 
returned with an overwhelming pursuit upon 
the broken ranks of the enemy : they will 
also point out, those spots where the gallant 
officers whom we now see amongst us fought 
through long and toilsome days, where a 
Stewart made his stand, and where the 
noblest blood of Scotland was shed in its 
defences. The historian of those campaigns 
will also record that your exploits were 
honoured with the constant and unqualified 
praises of that illustrious commander, whose 
name stands highest upon our roll of mili¬ 
tary renown. 

For your important share in those opera¬ 
tions, this House thought fit to bestow upon 
you the acknowledgments of its gratitude; 


76 


PYRENEES; 1814. 


and I do now accordingly, in the name and 
by the command of the Commons of this 
United Kingdom, deliver to you their unani¬ 
mous thanks for the valour, steadiness, and 
exertion, so successfully displayed by you, 
in repelling the repeated attacks made on 
the positions of the allies, by the whole 
French force, under Marshal Soult, between 
the 25th of July and 1st of August last, 
and for your undaunted perseverance, by 
which the allied army was finally established 
on the frontier of France. 

Upon which Lieut.-general Sir William 
Stewart said : 

Mr Speaker, 

As I have before had the honour of stating, 
I must feel, Sir, that to others is due from 
me, while receiving the highest honour that 
can be bestowed on a British soldier, the 
report of their admirable conduct during the 
actions in question : supported as I was by 
my gallant friend on my right*, by such 


* Major-general Pringle. 



PYRENEES ; 1814. 77 

corps, as the g2d Highlanders, or the 50th 
British infantry, I should have been without 
excuse if a less firm stand had been made 
on the positions of the Pyrenees than was 
made; I should have done injustice to the 
design of our great captain, and to the 
instructions of my own immediate com¬ 
mander, if I had less exerted myself than 1 
did on these occasions. 

That our endeavours have met with the 
approbation of our country, and have re¬ 
ceived from you. Sir, so generous an expres¬ 
sion of that approbation, is the proudest 
event of our lives ; it ought and will animate 
us to devote our best exertions in the future 
service of that country. 

Major-gen. William Henry Pringle 
then said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I am highly sensible of the honour I have 
just received by the thanks of this House; 
I consider their approbation as the most ho¬ 
nourable reward which a military man can 
receive, and one far beyond what any feeble 


7 » 


PYRENEES,* 1814. 


efforts of mine can deserve. The able arrange¬ 
ment of the general under whom I served, 
and the bravery of the troops I had the ho¬ 
nour to command, left little to be done by 
any exertions of mine, which I feel more than 
amply rewarded by the approbation of this 
House. The satisfaction I feel on this occa¬ 
sion is still further increased by the very 
flattering manner in which you have been 
pleased to communicate the thanks of the 
House to me. 


ORTHES AND BOURDEAUX. 


79 


ORTHES and BOURDEAUX: 

24 June 1814 . 

Lieutenant-generals Sir Thomas Picton and Sir 
Henry Clinton , knights of the most honourable 
order of the Bath, being also come to the 
House, and Lieutenant-general Sir William 
Stewart , and Major-general William Henry 
Pringle , being present, Mr. Speaker acquainted 
them that the House had, upon the 24th day 
of March last, resolved, that the Thanks of this 
House be given to them for their able and dis¬ 
tinguished conduct throughout the operations 
which concluded with the entire defeat of the 
enemy at Orthes on the 27th of February last, 
and the occupation of Bourdeaux by the allied 
forces; and Mr. Speaker gave them the Thanks 
of the House accordingly, as followeth : 

Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, 
Lieutenant-general Sir William Stewart, 
Lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton, 
and Major-general Pringle: 

YOU stand amongst us this day to receive 
our thanks for great and signal victories won 
by British arms in the fields of France. 


8 o 


ORTHES AND 


Descending from the Pyrenees, surmount¬ 
ing:, in adverse seasons, all the difficulties 
of a country deeply intersected, and passing 
with unparalleled skill and boldness the for¬ 
midable torrents of Navarre, after a series of 
arduous and sanguinary conflicts, you came 
up with the collected forces of the enemy, 
posted upon the heights of Orthes. Attacked 
on all sides by British valour, the troops of 
France at length gave way, and commenced 
their retreat; pressed however upon each 
flank, that retreat was soon changed into 
a flight, and that flight to a total rout: pur¬ 
suing their broken legions across the Adour, 
and seizing upon their strong holds and accu¬ 
mulated resources, you then laid open your 
way, on the one hand to the deliverance of 
Bourdeaux, and on the other to the lamented 
but glorious day of Toulouse. 

It has been your fortune to reap the latest 
laurels in this long and memorable war; and 
leading forward your victorious columns from 
the Tagus to the Garonne, you have wit¬ 
nessed, with arms in your hands, the downfal 
of that gigantic tyranny which your own 


bourdeaux; 1814. 81 

prowess has so materially contributed to 
overthrow. 

Informed of these triumphant exploits, this 
House lost no time in recording its thanks to 
all who had bravely fought the battles of their 
country. But to those whom we glory to 
reckon amongst our own members, it is my 
duty and happiness to deliver those thanks 
personally. And I do now accordingly, in 
the name and by the command of the Com¬ 
mons of this United Kingdom, deliver to 
you their unanimous thanks for your able 
and distinguished conduct throughout all 
those operations which concluded with the 
entire defeat of the enemy at Orthes, and 
the occupation of Bourdeaux by the allied 
forces of Great Britain, Spain, and Por¬ 
tugal. 

Upon which Lieut.-general Sir Thomas 
Picton said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I return my thanks to this honourable 
House for the honour conferred upon me. 


G 


82 


ORTHES AND 


Lieut.-general Sir William Stewart 
then said: 

Mr. Speaker. 

I feel overcome by the repeated honour 
which you have now conferred on me, and 
can but ill express what I am sensible of on 
this occasion of high personal honour; I can 
only say. Sir, that myself, as well as those 
who were under my command, in the memo¬ 
rable actions alluded to by you. Sir, did our 
duty to the best of our power, and have now 
been greatly rewarded. The most happy 
events have returned us to our country; and 
that we may act the part of good citizens, as 
you have been pleased to say that we have 
done that of good soldiers, is our next duty. 

If future events call us again to the field, 
a circumstance that may Heaven long avert, 
our greatest good fortune will be to serve un¬ 
der the auspices of so generous a House of 
Commons as that which I now address ; and 
more especially to have the generous senti¬ 
ment of that House communicated through 
so liberal a channel as has been the case this 
day. 


BOURDEAUX; 1 8 14. 83 

Lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton 
• then said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I am very grateful to the House for the 
honour which has been conferred upon me 
by their vote of thanks for my services in the 
battle of Orthes. 

I feel proud to have been thought deserv¬ 
ing of this high and distinguished reward; 
and I beg. Sir, that you will accept my best 
thanks for the obliging terms in which you 
have conveyed the vote of the House. 

Maj or-general WilliamHenryPr in g l e 
then said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I must again repeat the high sense I feel 
of the dionour I have received, and must 
esteem this as the proudest day of my life, 
in which my conduct has twice met the 
approbation of this House. 


g 2 


84 PENINSULA AND SOUTHERN 


PENINSULA AND SOUTHERN 
PROVINCES of FRANCE. 

1 July 1814. 

Lord Viscount Castlereagh acquainted the House, 
that the Duke of Wellington having desired that 
he may have the honour to wait upon this 
House, his Grace is now in attendance. 

Resolved, that the Duke of Wellington be now 
admitted. 

And a chair being set for his Grace on the left 
hand of the bar towards the middle of the 
House, he came in making his obeisances, the 
whole House rising upon his entrance within 
the bar; and Mr. Speaker having informed 
him that there was a chair in which he might 
repose himself, the Duke sat down covered 
for some time, the Serjeant standing on his 
right hand with the mace grounded, and the 
House resumed their seats ; his Grace then 
rose, and uncovered, spoke to the effect fol¬ 
lowing : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I was anxious to be permitted to attend 
this House, in order to return my thanks in 


PROVINCES OF FRANCE; 1814. 85 

person for the honour they have done me, in 
deputing a committee of members of this 
House to congratulate me on my return to 
this country; and this, after the House had 
animated my exertions by their applause 
upon every occasion which appeared to merit 
their approbation, and after they had filled 
up the measure of their favours by confer¬ 
ring upon me, at the recommendation of the 
Prince Regent, the noblest gift that any 
subject had ever received. 

I hope it will not be deemed presumptuous 
in me to take this opportunity of expressing 
my admiration of the great efforts made by 
this House and the country, at a moment of 
unexampled pressure and difficulty, in order 
to support the great scale of operation by 
which the contest was brought to so fortu¬ 
nate a termination. 

By the wise policy of Parliament, the 
Government were enabled to give the ne¬ 
cessary support to the operations which were 
carried on under my direction; and I was 
encouraged by the confidence reposed in me 
by His Majesty’s ministers and by the com- 

g 3 


86 


PENINSULA AND SOUTHERN 


mander in chief, by the gracious favour of 
his royal highness the Prince Regent, and 
by the reliance which I had on the support 
of my gallant friends, the general officers of 
the army, and on the bravery of the officers 
and troops, to carry on the operations -in 
such a manner as to acquire for me those 
marks of the approbation of this House, for 
which I have now the honour to make my 
humble acknowledgments. 

Sir, it is impossible for me to express the 
gratitude which I feel; I can only assure the 
House, that I shall always be ready to serve 
His Majesty in any capacity in which my ser¬ 
vices can be deemed useful, with the same 
zeal for my country, which has already ac¬ 
quired for me the approbation of this 
House. 

Whereupon Mr. Speaker, who during the 
foregoing speech sat covered, stood up unco¬ 
vered, and spoke to his Grace, as follows : 

My Lord, 

Since last I had the honour of addressing 
you from this place, a series of eventful years 


PROVINCES OF FRANCE; 1814. 


has elapsed; but none without some mark 
and note of your rising glory. 

The military triumphs which your valour 
has achieved upon the banks of the Douro 
and the Tagus, of the Ebro and the Garonne, 
have called forth the spontaneous shouts of 
admiring nations. Those triumphs it is need¬ 
less on this day to recount. Their names 
have been written by your conquering sword 
in the annals of Europe, and we shall hand 
them down with exultation to our children’s 
children. 

It is not, however, the grandeur of military 
success, which has alone fixed our admira¬ 
tion, or commanded our applause; it has 
been that generous and lofty spirit which 
inspired your troops with unbounded confi¬ 
dence, and taught them to know that the 
, day of battle was always a day of victory; 
that moral courage and enduring fortitude 
which, in perilous times when gloom and 
doubt had beset ordinary minds, stood never¬ 
theless unshaken; and that ascendency of 
character, which uniting the energies of 
jealous and rival nations, enabled you to 

G 4 , 


88 ' PENINSULA AND SOUTHERN 

wield at will the fates and fortunes of mighty 
empires. 

For the repeated thanks and grants be¬ 
stowed upon you by this House, in gratitude 
for your many and eminent services, you 
have thought fit this day to offer us your 
acknowledgments; but this nation well knows 
that it is still largely your debtor; it owes 
to you the proud satisfaction, that amidst 
the constellation of great and illustrious war¬ 
riors who have recently visited our country, 
we could present to them a leader of our 
own, to whom all, by common acclamation, 
conceded the pre-eminence; and when the 
will of Heaven, and the common destinies of 
our nature, shall have swept away the pre¬ 
sent generation, you will have left your great 
name and example as an imperishable monu¬ 
ment, exciting others to like deeds of glory, 
and serving at once to adorn, defend, and per¬ 
petuate, the existence of this country amongst 
the ruling nations of the earth. 

It now remains only, that we congratulate 
your Grace upon the high and important mis¬ 
sion on which you are about to proceed : and 


PROVINCES OF FRANCE; 1814. 89 

we doubt not that the same splendid talents, 
so conspicuous in war, will maintain, with 
equal authority, firmness and temper, our 
national honour and interests in peace. 

\ 

And then his Grace withdrew, making his 
obeisances in like manner as upon entering 
the House, and the whole House rising again 
whilst his Grace was re-conducted by the Ser¬ 
jeant from his chair to the door of the House. 


90 


ORTHES AND 


ORTHES and BOURDEAUX. 

Major-general Henry Fane being come to the 
House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him that the 
House had, upon the 24th day of March last, 
resolved, that the Thanks of this House be given 
to him for his able and distinguished conduct 
throughout the operations which concluded 
with the entire defeat of the enemy at Orthes 
on the 27th of February last, and the occu¬ 
pation of Bourdeaux by the allied forces; and 
Mr. Speaker gave him the Thanks of the House 
accordingly, as followeth: 

Major-general Fane, 

IT has been your fortune to bear a con¬ 
spicuous part in the earliest and latest ac¬ 
tions of the Peninsular war; and having 
now closed your services upon the Continent, 
by re-conducting the whole British cavalry 
through France, you have this day to receive 
our thanks for your exertions in the great 
and decisive battle of Orthes. 

In that battle, the enemy, formidably col¬ 
lected, and strongly posted on ground of its 
own choice, nevertheless, when assailed on 


BOURDEAUX. 


91 


all sides by ihe valour of the allies, was 
compelled to seek for safety in retreat; but 
the conqueror had resolved that their defeat 
should be also their destruction; and the 
gallant commander, whose name has since 
been ennobled by his Sovereign for his ex¬ 
ploits at Almaraz, pressing hard upon the 
enemy’s retiring march, the British cavalry, 
under your command, bore down upon his 
broken battalions, and completed the vic- 
tory. 

Distinguished long since by deeds achieved 
in Portugal and Spain, you have now ob¬ 
tained fresh trophies won by your sword in 
France. Three times already you have 
claimed and received our thanks; we have 
thanked you for your gallantry on the days 
of Roleia and Vimiera, in the glorious stand 
at Corunna, and in the hard-fought field of 
Talavera: and I do now also, in the name 
and by the command of the Commons of 
Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament 
assembled, deliver to you their unanimous 
thanks for your able and distinguished con¬ 
duct throughout those operations, which 


92 ORTHES AND 

concluded with the entire defeat of the 
enemy at Orthes, and the occupation of 
Bourdeaux by the allied forces. 

Upon which Major-general Fane said : 

Mr. Speaker, 

I am most sensible of my good fortune 
in having been, for the third time, deemed 
worthy of the thanks of Parliament. 

Although I am quite unequal to express 
in proper terms the high sense I entertain of 
the honours conferred upon me, yet I trust 
that the House will believe that I feel them 
as I ought. 


93 


BOURDEAUX.' 


Major-general Lord Edward Somerset being also 
come to the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted 
him that the House had, upon the 24th day of 
March last, resolved, that the Thanks of this 
House be given to him for his able and distin¬ 
guished conduct throughout the operations 
which concluded with the entire defeat of the 
enemy at Orthes on the 27th of February last, 
and the occupation of Bourdeaux by the allied 
forces; and Mr. Speaker gave him the Thanks 
of the House accordingly, as followeth : 

Major-general Lord Edward Somerset, 

YOUR name also stands recorded amongst 
those distinguished officers whose gallantry 
was conspicuous in the last great action 
which called forth the strength and valour 
of the British cavalry. 

In defiance of the early scoffs of an insult¬ 
ing enemy, this nation has, during the late 
continental war, re-established its military 
character, and vindicated its ancient renown. 
The nobility of England sent forth its sons 
to the tented field, and there, trained up under 
the great commanders who have obtained and 


94 


ORTHES AND 


dignified the honours of the peerage, they 
have acted throughout upon the just persua¬ 
sion that, in this free country, the willing- 
tribute of respect paid to high rank and birth 
can only be secured by a continued display 
of the same great qualities which ennobled 
the founders of their race. 

The profession of arms, which you had 
gallantly chosen, you have successfully pur¬ 
sued; and in those provinces of France where 
your ancestors, of noblest descent and royal 
alliance, have in former ages fought, con¬ 
quered, and governed, you have renewed by 

t 

your own sword the claims of your illustrious 
house to the respect and gratitude of your 
country. I do therefore now, in the name 
and by the command of the Commons of 
Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament 
assembled, deliver to you their unanimous 
thanks for your able and distinguished con¬ 
duct throughout the operations which con¬ 
cluded with the entire defeat of the enemy 
at Orthes, and the occupation of Bourdeaux 
by the allied forces. 


BOURDEAUX. 95 

Upon which Major-general Lord Edward 
Somerset said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

Deeply impressed as I am with the high 
honour which has just been conferred upon 
me, I feel totally incapable of expressing my 
gratitude in adequate terms. 

The thanks of this House, which must at 
all times be received with the most lively 
sentiments of satisfaction, have been rendered 
doubly gratifying to me by the handsome 
manner in which you. Sir, have been pleased 
to express them. 

Commanding British troops, and holding 
that command under the Duke of Wellington, 
a British general can never fail of supporting 
the character of the British arms. It is to 
this favourable circumstance, more than to 
any merit of my own, that I consider myself 
indebted for the high distinction which I have 
this day received. 

Sir, I can only repeat, that I shall ever 
entertain the highest sense of the honour 
conferred upon me by this House. 


9 ^ 


WATERLOO; l8l6. 


WATERLOO: 

29 April 1816 . 

Major-general Lord Edward Somerset, K. C. B., 
being come to the House, Mr. Speaker ac¬ 
quainted him that the House had, upon the 
23d day of June, in the last Session of Par¬ 
liament, resolved, that the Thanks of this House 
be given to him for his indefatigable zeal and 
exertions upon the 18th of June, when the 
French army, commanded by Buonaparte, 
received a signal and complete defeat; and 
Mr. Speaker gave him the Thanks of the 
House accordingly, as followeth ; 

Major-general Lord Edward Somerset, 

AT length we are gratified by seeing 
amongst us one of those distinguished offi¬ 
cers to whom this House has voted its 
thanks, for their eminent services in the 
battle of Waterloo; a victory eclipsing the 
fame of all other battles fought in those cele¬ 
brated fields of war, and consummating the 
glory of the Duke of Wellington, with whose 
great name the gratitude of this House has 


WATERLOO; l8l6. 


97 

justly associated that of Field Marshal 
Bliicher. 

In the narratives of that gigantic conflict, 
our historians will always relate, that Major- 
general Lord Edward Somerset, already 
known by his brilliant services in the south¬ 
ern provinces of France, held a high and 
forward command in those gallant charges 
by the British cavalry, which defeated and 
destroyed the boasted squadrons of cuiras¬ 
siers. They will relate also, that Lieutenant- 
general Sir Henry Clinton, who had in five 
former battles commanded divisions of that 
heroic army which rescued Portugal and 
Spain, maintained a conspicuous post in the 
support of that embattled line, where the 
British guards repulsed and put to flight 
the imperial guards of France. Nor will 
those other illustrious men be forgotten, who 
might now have been standing up amongst 
us to receive our thanks, if the fate of war 
had not laid them low in their grave of 
glory, soldiers long dear to the affections and 
remembrance of their country, which will 
never cease to revere and regret the veteran 


H 


9 « 


WATERLOO; l8l6. 


but ardent valour of Picton, or the bright 
and rising honours of Ponsonby. 

The days, indeed, of these our mingled 
triumphs and griefs are now concluded. 
Other scenes have opened, and other cares 
have arisen to demand our vigilance. From 
the long contest, however, now happily 
closed, this durable advantage has resulted 
to our country: we have proved to ourselves 
the value of those manly habits and institu¬ 
tions which have established the superiority 
of our national character; and such splendid 
examples of skill, valour, and constancy, as 
we have had this day to commemorate, will 
deeply impress upon our enemies, and upon 
our allies, in all ages, a just respect for the 
counsels and arms of this empire. 

The special duty which I have this day to 
discharge, is to deliver to you the thanks of 
this House for your last great services. And 
I do therefore now, in the name and by the 
command of the Commons of Great Britain 
and Ireland in Parliament assembled, deliver 
to you their unanimous thanks for your in¬ 
defatigable zeal and exertions upon the 18th 


WATERLOO; l8l6. 


99 


of June 1815, when the French army, com¬ 
manded by Buonaparte, received a signal 
and complete defeat. 

Upon which Lord Edward Somerset 
said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I beg to express to the House the high 
sense I entertain of so distinguished a mark 
of its approbation, conferred upon me for my 
conduct in the memorable battle of Waterloo. 
Deeply impressed with the importance of 
such an honour, 1 am conscious that I want 
words to convey, in adequate terms, my sen¬ 
timents on this occasion. Sir, whatever 
merit my humble exertions in this great con¬ 
flict may be deemed entitled to, I cannot but 
attribute to the fortunate circumstance of my 
being placed in command of a brigade, whose 
persevering gallantry, discipline, and intre¬ 
pidity, contributed so largely to the success 
of this important day. Animated by the 
example of that great man, under whose 
command we had the honour to serve, and 
who had so often led us to victory and to 

H 2 




100 


WATERLOO; l8l6. 


honour, every individual of the British army 
was naturally inspired with but one feeling; 
that feeling, and a well-grounded confidence 
in their commander, enabled them to sur¬ 
mount the most formidable obstacles, and to 
bring the contest to a successful issue. That 
it was my lot to form part of the army on 
that day, and that my conduct should be 
deemed worthy of receiving the thanks of 
this House, will be ever to me a source of the 
utmost satisfaction, and will be remembered 
with pride and gratitude to the latest period 
of my existence. 

I cannot conclude without expressing to 
you, Sir, how sensible I am of the flattering 
terms in which you have been pleased to 
communicate to me the resolutions of the 
House on this occasion. 


SALAMANCA, VITTORIA, &.C.; 1 81 6. 101 


SALAMANCA, VITTORIA, PYRENEES, 
and ORTHES. 

20 May 1810 . 

Lieutenant-general the Honourable Sir Galbraith 
Lowry Cole , knight grand cross of the most 
honourable order of the Bath, being come to 
the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him with 
the resolutions of the House, of the 3d day of 
December 1812, of the 7th day of July and 
8th day of November 1813, and of the 24th 
day of March 1814, respecting his services in 
the battles of Sala?nanca and Vittoria, in the 
Pyrenees , and at Orthes ; and Mr. Speaker gave 
him the Thanks of the House accordingly, 
as followeth: 

Lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole, 

Although the time which elapsed be¬ 
tween the close of your service in the Penin¬ 
sula, and your appearance in this House,would 
in ordinary cases have precluded me from 
delivering to you its thanks from this place, 
nevertheless, your distinguished name and 
actions have, in a manner highly honourable 

« 3 


102 


SALAMANCA, VITTOKIA, 


to you, induced this House to depart from 
its usual course; justly desirous that, in ter¬ 
minating such a war, no demonstration oi 
its gratitude should be wanting towards 
those who have deserved it so well. 

Having acquired the early rudiments of 
your profession in foreign countries, reputed 
then the best schools of the military art, 
and having matured that knowledge by prac¬ 
tical experience through various campaigns 
in Egypt, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, you 
first appeared amongst us to claim our thanks 
for your prompt and decisive conduct in the 
Battle of Albuera. 

In that victorious army which re-esta¬ 
blished the thrones of our allies, though all 
were brave, yet, by the fortune of war, the 
skill and valour of some were rendered con¬ 
spicuous above the rest; and the gallant 
fourth division was distinguished through¬ 
out, by the highest praises, for its enthu¬ 
siastic courage and heroic devotion. 

Of that division, to which all eyes were 
turned in every battle, you. Sir, had the 
chief command; and your growing renown 


PYRENEES, AND ORTHES ; l8l6. 103 

was well supported by many brave compa¬ 
nions in arms, whose names will for ever live 
in our annals. 

So supported, and led on by the greatest 
captain of our times, you shared in each suc¬ 
cessive struggle and triumph which marked 
his progress, from the frontiers of Portugal, 
at Salamanca, at Vittoria, in the Pyrenees, 
and at Orthes, to the final establishment of 
his standard within the antient provinces of 
France. 

For these numerous and splendid services 
it is now my gratifying duty to deliver to you 
the thanks of your country ; and I do now, 
therefore, in the name and by the command 
of the Commons of Great Britain and Ire¬ 
land, in Parliament assembled, deliver to you 
their unanimous thanks: 

“ For your distinguished exertions in the 
battle of Salamanca, on the 2 2d of July 1812, 
which terminated in a glorious and decisive 
victory over the enemy’s army.” 

And also, “ for your great exertions upon 
the 21st of June 1813, when the French army 
were completely defeated by the allied forces 

h 4 


104 SALAMANCA, VITTORIA, 

under the Marquess of Wellington’s com¬ 
mand,” near Vittoria. 

And also, “ for the valour, steadiness, and 
exertion, so successfully displayed by you, 
in repelling the repeated attacks made on 
the positions of our allied army by the whole 
French force, under the command of Marshal 
Soult, between the 25th of July and the 1st 
of August 1813,” in the Pyrenees. 

And lastly, “ for your able and distin¬ 
guished conduct throughout those opera¬ 
tions, which concluded with the entire defeat 
of the enemy at Orthes, on the 27th of 
February 1814, and the occupation of Bour- 
deaux by the allied forces.” 

Upon which Lieut.-general Sir Galbraith 
Lowry Cole said : 

Sir, 

To be considered by the representatives of 
my country as deserving their thanks, has 
been, and will ever, I trust, be the chief ambi¬ 
tion of my life ; and gratified and flattered 
as I ought and do feel. Sir, by the very high 
honour which you have just communicated 


PYRENEES, AND ORTHES ; 1 8 1 6 . 1 05 

to me, no man is more sensible than myself 
what little intrinsic merit there is in obtain¬ 
ing credit under the eye of the Duke of 
Wellington, and in the command of such 
troops as composed the fourth division of the 
late army in the Peninsula, whose enthu¬ 
siastic gallantry (words used by his Grace in 
his dispatches after the battle of the Pyre- 
ness) at all times, and under any circum¬ 
stance, during the last five years of that 
arduous war, deserved and obtained his 
Grace’s approbation; and to which I feel 
conscious I am principally indebted for the 
honour now conferred upon me by this House, 
and for my reputation as a soldier. 

If any thing can add to my sense of that 
honour, it is the flattering terms in which' 
you. Sir, have been pleased to communicate 
it to me, and for which I beg to return you 
my most sincere thanks. 


io6 


WATERLOO; l8l6. 


WATERLOO, 

20 May 1816 *. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton , knight 
grand cross of the most honourable order of 
the Bath, being come to the House, Mr. 
Speaker acquainted him that the House had, 
upon the 23d day of June, in the last session 
of Parliament, resolved, that the Thanks of 
this House be given to him tor his indefati¬ 
gable zeal and exertions upon the 18th of June 
1815, w hen the French army, commanded by 
Buonaparte , received a signal and complete 
defeat; and Mr. Speaker gave him the Thanks 
of the House accordingly, as followeth ; 

Lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton, 

AFTER serving through the long cam¬ 
paigns of the Peninsular war, from Sala¬ 
manca to Orthes and Toulouse, there remained 
nothing for a soldier to desire, but to be pre¬ 
sent at the great battle of Waterloo; and if, 
in that terrible conflict, it were possible to 
select one spot more than another where our 
national military character was put to its 
fiercest trial, it must have been that where 


WATERLOO ; l8l6. 107 

you were commanding, with Hougomont in 
your front, and directing or supporting the 
brave brigades of Byng, Maitland, and 
Adam. 

In estimating the services of that gallant 
army, this country has not contemplated 
alone the glory of a single day; they have 
looked to the toilsome marches and sharp 
combats which preceded it, and to the steady, 
skilful, and victorious march by which that 
army completed its success, and entered the 
enemy’s capital. They have seen also, with 
a just exultation, that whilst British troops 
held the gates of Paris, by right of con¬ 
quest, their camp displayed at the same time 
a model of good order and well-regulated 
discipline, which even the conquered could 
not but applaud and admire. 

Your present stay amongst us we under¬ 
stand to be only for a short period : but on 
returning to your brethren in arms, let them 
be assured by you, that whenever their 
foreign service shall terminate, they will find 
that their great deeds have not been for¬ 
gotten by us: and we trust, that on re- 


108 WATERLOO; 1 8 1 6 . 

entering the metropolis of their native 
country, they will behold some lofty and 
durable monument, which shall commemo¬ 
rate to the latest ages, our never-ending 
gratitude to the armies who have fought for 
us, and the God who has delivered us. 

You, Sir, are the last of those distin¬ 
guished officers to whom our thanks have 
remained undelivered ; and I do now, in the 
name and by the command of the Commons 
of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament 
assembled, deliver to you their unanimous 
thanks for your indefatigable zeal and exer¬ 
tions upon the 18th of June 1815, when the 
French army, commanded by Buonaparte, 
received a signal and complete defeat. 

Upon which Lieut.-general Sir Henry 
Clinton said: 

Mr. Speaker, 

I am extremely grateful to the House for 
the honour which has been conferred upon 
me by the vote of its thanks for my services 
in the battle of Waterloo, a reward to which 
you, Sir, so well know how to give the full 


WATERLOO; l 8 l 6 . IO 9 

value ; and I wish to assure you, Sir, that 
I am fully sensible of the favour I have 
received at your hands. 

It is impossible for me to mention the name 
of Waterloo, and not to feel an irresistible 
desire to join in the general voice of gratitude 
to the hero who commanded us, and in that 
of admiration of the extraordinary talents 
which he has so long and so usefully devoted 
to the service of his country. 

An army hastily drawn together, composed 
of the troops of various nations, and amongst 
which were counted several brigades of inex¬ 
perienced militia, was the force which the 
Duke of Wellington had to oppose to one of 
the most formidable and best appointed, 
armies which France ever produced. 

Every officer and soldier, I am persuaded, 
did his duty, but the Duke of Wellington 
alone was capable of giving union to such a 
force. No other man living could have ren¬ 
dered the service he performed, with an army 
so composed. 

His great name filled it with confidence; 
by his constant vigilance, his undaunted 


1 10 


WATERLOO; l8l6. 


firmness, and the exertion of the greatest 
intrepidity and perseverance, he was able, 
throughout that well-contested day, to defeat 
every effort of a powerful and enterprizing 
enemy, and ultimately to gain that victory 
by which he restored peace to Europe, and 
increased, to the impossibility of our ever 
acquitting it, his country’s debt of gratitude. 


EXTRACTS 


FROM 


LONDON GAZETTES EXTRAORDINARY. 


APPENDIX 


Copenhagen 

- - - September 

1807 

- 

- 

- 

Page 

- 113 

Roleia 

- - - August - 

1808 

- 

- 

- 

- 122 

Yimiera - 

- - - August - 

1808 

- 

- 

- 

- 129 

Corunna - 

- - - January - 

1809 

- 

- 

- 

- 137 

Talavera 

- July- - 

1809 

- 

- 

- 

- 151 

Albuera - 

- - - May - - 

1811 

- 

- 

- 

- 1G2 

Salamanca 

- - - July - - 

1812 

- 

- 

- 

- 182 

Vittoria - 

- - - June - - 

1813 

- 

- 

- 

- 203 

Pyrenees - 

- - - August - 

1813 

- 

- 

- 

- 217 

Ortiies 

- - - March - 

1814 

- 

- 

- 

- 242 

Bourdeaux 

- - - March - 

1814 

- 

- 

- 

- 253 

Toulouse - 

- - - April - - 

1814 

- 

- 

- 

- 255 

Waterloo 

- - - June - - 

1815 

- 

- 

- 

265. 281 

Ligny - - 

- - - June 

1815 

- 

- 

- 

- 275 

Capture of 

Paris- July - - 

1815 

- 


. 

- 289 






3fppen&t;c. 


Copeitljagen. 


London Gazette Extraordinary, 16 Sept. 1807. 


Copy of a Letter from Lord Cathcart. 

Citadel of Copenhagen, 

My Lord, Sept. 8, 1807. 

IT has fallen to my lot to have the great satis¬ 
faction of forwarding to your lordship the ratified 
capitulation of the town and citadel of Copen¬ 
hagen, including the surrender of the Danish 
fleet and arsenal in this port, which are placed at 
His Majesty’s disposal. 

The object of securing this fleet having been 
attained, every other provision of a tendency to 
wound the feelings or irritate the nation has been 
avoided ; and although the bombardment and 
cannonade have made considerable havoc and 
destruction in the town, not one shot was fired 
into it till after it was summoned, with the offer 

i 






114 Bppeniitj:: 

of the most advantageous terms, nor a single 
shot after the first indication of a disposition to 
capitulate; on the contrary, the firing which lasted 
three nights from His Majesty’s batteries was 
considerably abated on the 2d, and was only 
renewed on the 3d to its full vigour, on supposing 
from the quantity of shells thrown from the place 
that there was a determination to hold out. 

On the evening of the 5th September, a lettei 
was sent by the Danish general to propose an 
armistice of twenty-four hours, for preparing an 
agreement on which articles of capitulation might 
be founded. The armistice was declined as tend¬ 
ing to unnecessary delay, and the works were 
continued; but the firing was countermanded, 
and lieutenant-colonel Murray was sent to explain 
that no proposal of capitulation could be listened 
to, unless accompanied by the surrender of the 
fleet. 

This basis having been admitted by a subse¬ 
quent letter, on the 6th major-general Sir Arthur 
Wellesley, whom I had sent for, for this purpose, 
from his command in the country, where he had 
distinguished himself in a manner so honourable 
to himself and so advantageous to the public, was 
appointed, with Sir Home Popham and lieutenant- 
colonel Murray, to prepare and sign articles of 
capitulation ; and those officers having insisted on 
proceeding immediately to business, the capitu- 


Copenhagen; 1807. 115 

lation was drawn up in the night between the 6th 
and 7 th. 

The ratification was exchanged in the course of 
the morning, and at four in the afternoon of the 
same day, lieutenant-general Burrard proceeded 
to take possession. 

The British grenadiers present, with detach¬ 
ments from all the other corps of cavalry and 
infantry, under the command of colonel Cameron 
of the 79th regiment, with two brigades of artil¬ 
lery, marched into the citadel, while major-general 
Spencer having embarked his brigade at the Kalk 
Brandiere, landed in the dock-yard, and took 
possession of each of the line-of-battle ships, and 
of all the arsenal; the Danish guards withdrawing 
when those of His Majesty were ready to replace 
them, and proper officers attending to deliver 
stores as far as inventories could be made up. 

The town being in a state of the greatest fer¬ 
ment and disorder, I most willingly acceded to 
the request that our troops should not be quartered 
in it, and that neither officers or soldiers should 
enter it for some days; and having the command 
of possession from the citadel whenever it might 
be necessary to use it, I bad no objection to leav¬ 
ing the other gates in the hands of the troops of 
his Danish Majesty, together with the police of 
the place. 

We have consented to the re-establishment of 


116 


appcn&tj: 

the post; but all arrivals and departures are to 
be at and from the citadel. 

This work is in good condition, very strong, 
and well stored with ordnance and ammunition. 

The amount of the garrison of the town is not 
easily ascertained. The regular troops were not 
numerous; but the number of batteries which 
fired at the same time, together with the floating 
defences, prove that there must have been a very 
great number of militia and burghers, with other 
irregular forces; and their ordnance was well 
served. 

Considering the advanced position in which 
His Majesty's troops have been placed for the 
last fortnight, our loss (highly as I prize the value 
of every officer or soldier who has fallen or been 
wounded) has been comparatively small. 

The zeal, spirit and perseverance of every rank 
in the army have been truly characteristic of the 
British nation; and the King’s German Legion 
are entitled to a full share in this commenda¬ 
tion. 

All the generals, and indeed each officer, has 
rendered himself conspicuous in proportion to 
his command and the opportunities which have 
occurred, and opportunities have occurred to all. 

The staff have done themselves the greatest 
credit, and been of all the service that could be 
desired in their several departments. 


Copenhagen; iso7. 117 

Colonel D’Arcey, the chief engineer, and every 
engineer under him, have given the most unequi¬ 
vocal proofs of science and indefatigable industry; 
the works under their direction have gone on with 
fresh parties without ceasing. 

General Bloomfield, and the officers and corps 
of Royal Artillery, have done great honor to them¬ 
selves, and to that branch of His Majesty’s ser¬ 
vice, of which their fire upon the gun-boats, and 
the rapidity and success of the mortar practice, 
afford sufficient proofs; nor is the distribution of 
battering ordnance, and of so much ammunition 
at so many points in this extensive line, in so 
short a period, a small proof of the method and 
resources of that corps. 

Lieutenant-colonel Smith, with the 82d regi¬ 
ment under his command, held the post at the 
windmill on the left, which for the greater part of 
the time was the most exposed to the gun-boats 
and sorties of the enemy; and the unremitting 
attentions of that officer claim particular notice. 

By the naval blockade the force opposed to us 
has been limited to the resources of this and of 
the adjacent islands, separated only by narrow 
ferries; and almost every wish of assistance has 
been anticipated, and every requisition of boats, 
guns and stores has been most amply and effectu¬ 
ally provided for, with the greatest dispatch and 
the most perfect cordiality ; and every possible 

1 3 


118 


3ppentujr: 

attention has been paid, and every accommoda¬ 
tion given, by every officer in that service, from 
Admiral Gambier downwards. 

A battalion of seamen and marines, with three 
divisions of carpenters, were landed on the 5th, 
under captain Watson of His Majesty's ship In¬ 
flexible ; and had the effort been made, which 
would have been resorted to in a few days, if the 
place had not capitulated, their services in the pas¬ 
sage of the ditch would have been distinguished. 

I send this dispatch by lieutenant Cathcart, who 
has become for some time my first aid-de-camp, 
who has seen every thing that has occurred here 
and at Stralsund, and will be able to give any 
further details that may be required. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

(signed) Cathcart. 


London Gazette Extraordinary, 31st October 1807. 

Admiralty-Office, October 31, 1807. 

Copy of a Letter from Admiral Gambier to the 
Honourable William Wellesley Pule , dated on 
board His Majesty's Ship the Prince of Wales , 
off Copenhagen , the ‘loth October 1807 . 

Sir, 

I have the honour to acquaint you, for the 
information of the Lords Commissioners of the 




119 


CTopniljagcit; 1807. 

Admiralty, that the whole of the Danish fleet 
being equipped, (except two unserviceable ships 
of the line and two frigates, which have been 
destroyed), and the arsenal cleared of the stores, 
the army has been re-embarked ; and that I shall 
proceed with the first favourable wind to carry 
into execution the instructions I have received 
from the Lord Viscount Castlereagh. 

Having so far accomplished the service on 
which I have been employed, I feel it my duty to 
state the great activity, energy and zeal which 
have been shown by vice-admiral Stanhope and 
rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood, in superintending 
the equipment of the Danish ships and the em¬ 
barkation of the stores from the arsenal; nor has 
the same spirit been less manifest in the captains, 
officers, seamen and marines, who have all exe¬ 
cuted their respective parts in the general exer¬ 
tion with a promptitude and alacrit} r , which has 
not only entitled them to my warmest thanks and 
praise, but will I doubt not, when the aggregate 
result of their labour is considered, obtain for 
them the approbation of their sovereign, and the 
applause of the nation. 

In the space of six weeks, sixteen sail of the 
line, nine frigates, fourteen sloops of war and 
smaller vessels, besides gun-boats, have been 
fitted for sea, and all the large ships laden with 
masts, spars, timber, and other stores, from the 

i 4 


120 


Sppenfoi*: 

arsenal, from whence also ninety-two cargoes have 
been shipped on board transports, and other ves¬ 
sels chartered for the purpose, the sum of whose 
burthen exceeds twenty thousand tons. A consi¬ 
derable number of masts and spars have been put 
on board the Leyden and Inflexible, which were 
well adapted for this purpose, and some valuable 
stores on board His Majesty’s ships; nor can I 
forbear to remark, that such was the emulation 
among the several ships of the fleet to which the 
Danish ships were respectively attached for equip¬ 
ment, that within nine days, fourteen sail of the 
line were brought out of the harbour, although 
several of them underwent, in our hands, consider¬ 
able repairs. Of the three ships on the stocks 
two have been taken to pieces, and the useful 
part of their timbers brought away;. and the 
third, being in a considerable state of forward¬ 
ness, was sawed in various parts, and suffered to 
fall over. 

On a review of the whole, I think it may be 
asserted, without derogating from the merit of any 
former service, that the characteristic activity of 
British officers, seamen, and marines, was never 
more zealously exerted than on this occasion ; but 
I must not omit at the same time to inform their 
Lordships, that a very considerable proportion of 
the labour of the arsenal has been performed with 
equal zeal and energy, by large working parties 


121 


Copenhagen; 1807. 

from the army, whose exertions entitle them to 
the same praise. 

I beg leave to express the great satisfaction 
I have felt from the zealous and attentive services 
of Rear-admiral Essington, to whom the general 
superintendence of the numerous transports, and 
the re-embarkation of the army, with all its 
artillery and stores, has been committed. 

I embrace this opportunity to make a particu¬ 
lar acknowledgement of the very able and judicious 
dispositions which rear-admiral Keats has made 
from time to time of the force under his com¬ 
mand, for guarding the Belt; and the vigilant 
attention which his whole squadron has paid to 
this important branch of the service. 

Sir Home Popham has not ceased to manifest 
his usual zeal and ability in the assistance he has 
rendered me in the various services of the fleet; 
and I should not do justice to the diligent atten¬ 
tion and arduous endeavours of captain Mackenzie 
to fulfil the civil duties of the arsenal, which were 
committed to his management and superintend¬ 
ence, if I did not, on this occasion, express my 
warm approbation of his exertions, and I beg 
leave to recommend him to their Lordships’ 
favourable notice. 

I have the honour to transmit herewith a list of 
the Danish ships and vessels which have been 
brought away, and of those destroyed. The 


122 appenOtjr: 

account of the stores shipped from the arsenal shall 
also be sent as soon as the several returns can be 
collected and arranged. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

(signed) J. Gambier. 

N. B .—The list of the Danish ships found at 
Copenhagen has been already published.—Two 
ships of the line and two frigates have been 
destroyed. 


IRoIeta* 


London Gazette Extraordinary, 3d September 1808. 


Letter from Sir Arthur Wellesley. 

Head Quarters, at Villa Verde, 
My Lord, August 17, 1808. 

THE French general Laborde having con¬ 
tinued in his position at Roleia since my arrival 
at Caldas on the 15th instant, I determined to 
attack him in it this morning. Roleia is situated 
on an eminence, having a plain in its front, at the 
end of a valley, which commences at Caldas, and 
is closed to the southward by mountains, which 
join the hills, forming the valley on the left, look¬ 
ing from Caldas. In the centre of the valley, and 






123 


IRoleta; 1808 . 

about eight miles from Roleia, is the town and old 
Moorish fort of CEbidos, from whence the enemy’s 
piquets had been driven on the 15th, and from 
that time he had posts in the hills on both sides 
of the valley, as well as in the plain in front of 
his army, which was posted on the heights in 
front of Roleia, its right resting upon the hills, 
its left upon an eminence on which was a wind- 
will, and the whole covering four or five passes 
into the mountains in his rear. 

I have reason to believe that his force consisted 
of at least six thousand men, of which about five 
hundred were cavalry, with five pieces of cannon; 
and there was some reason to believe that general 
Loison, who was at Rio Major yesterday, would 
join general Laborde by his right in the course of 
the night. The plan of attack was formed ac¬ 
cordingly, and the army having broken up from 
Caldas this morning, was formed into three co¬ 
lumns ; the right, consisting of twelve hundred 
Portuguese infantry and fifty Portuguese cavalry, 
destined to turn the enemy’s left and penetrate 
into the mountains in his rear ; the left, consisting 
of major-general Ferguson’s and brigadier-general 
Bowes’s brigades of infantry, three companies of 
riflemen, a brigade of light artillery, and twenty 
British and twenty Portuguese cavalry, was des¬ 
tined, under the command of major-general Fer¬ 
guson, to ascend the hills at CEbidos, to turn all 


124 


appentri*: 

the enemy’s posts on the left of the valley, as well 
as the right of his post at Roleia; this corps was 
also destined to watch the motions of general 
Loison, on the enemy’s right, who I had heard 
had moved from Rio Major towards Alcoentre 
last night. The centre column, consisting of 
major-general Hill’s, brigader-general Nightin¬ 
gale’s, brigadier-general Craufurd’s, and brigadier- 
general Fane’s brigades, (with the exception of 
the riflemen detached with major-general Fergu¬ 
son), and four hundred Portuguese light infantry, 
the British and Portuguese cavalry, a brigade of 
nine-pounders, and a brigade of six-pounders, 
were destined to attack general Laborde’s position 
in front. 

The columns being formed, the troops moved 
from CEbidos about seven o’clock in the morning. 
Brigadier-general Fane’s riflemen were immedi¬ 
ately detached into the hills on the left of the 
valley, to keep up the communication between 
the centre and left columns, and to protect the 
march of the former along the valley; and the 
enemy’s posts were successively driven in. Major- 
general Hill’s brigade, formed in three columns 
of battalions, moved on the right of the valley, 
supported by the cavalry, in order to attack the 
enemy’s left, and brigadier-generals Nightingale 
and Craufurd moved with the artillery along the 
high road, until at length the former formed in 


125 


IRofein; 1808. 

the plain immediately in the enemy’s front, sup¬ 
ported by the light infantry companies and the 
45th regiment of brigadier-general Craufurd’s bri¬ 
gade, while the two other regiments of this brigade 
(the 50th and 91 st), and half of the nine-pounder 
brigade, were kept as a reserve in the rear. 

Major-general Hill and brigadier-general Night¬ 
ingale advanced upon the enemy’s position, and at 
the same moment brigadier-general Fane’s riflemen 
were in the hills on his right; the Portuguese infan¬ 
try in a village upon his left; and major-general Fer¬ 
guson’s column was descending from the heights 
into the plain. From this situation the enemy 
retired by the passes into the mountains with the 
utmost regularity and the greatest celerity; and 
notwithstanding the rapid advance of the British 
infantry, the want of a sufficient body of cavalry 
was the cause of his suffering but little loss in the 
plain. 

It was then necessary to make a disposition to 
attack the formidable position which he had taken 
up. Brigadier-general Fane’s riflemen were al¬ 
ready in the mountains on his right, and no time 
w'as lost in attacking the different passes, as well 
to support the riflemen as to defeat the enemy 
completely. 

The Portuguese infantry were ordered to move 
up a pass on the right of the whole ; the light 
companies of major-general Hill’s brigade and the 


126 


appen&tjc: 

5th regiment moved up a pass next on the right; 
and the 29th regiment, supported by the 9th regi¬ 
ment, under brigadier-general Nightingale, a third 
pass ; and the 45th and 82d regiments, passes on 
the left. These passes were all difficult of access, 
and some of them were well defended by the 
enemy, particularly that which was attacked by 
the 29th and 9th regiments. These regiments at¬ 
tacked with the greatest impetuosity, and reached 
the enemy before those whose attacks were to be 
made on their flanks : the defence of the enemy 
was desperate, and it was in this attack princi¬ 
pally that we sustained the loss which we have to 
lament, particularly of that gallant officer the 
honourable lieutenant-colonel Lake, who distin¬ 
guished himself upon this occasion. 

The enemy was, however, driven from all the 
positions he had taken in the passes of the moun¬ 
tains, and our troops were advanced in the plains 
on their tops. For a considerable length of time 
the 29th and 9th regiments alone were advanced 
to this point, with brigadier-general Fane’s rifle" 
men at a distance on the left; and they were af¬ 
terwards supported by the 5th regiment, and by 
the light companies of major-general Hill’s bri¬ 
gade, which had come up on their right, and by 
the other troops ordered to ascend the mountains, 
who came up by degrees. The enemy here made 
three most gallant attacks upon the 29th and 9th 


127 


Kolria; 1808. 

regiments, supported as I have above stated, with 
a view to cover the retreat of his defeated army; 
in all of which he was however repulsed : but he 
succeeded in effecting his retreat in good order, 
owing principally to my want of cavalry, and 
secondly, to the difficulty of bringing up the passes 
of the mountains with celerity a sufficient number 
of troops and of cannon to support those which 
had first ascended. The loss of the enemy has, 
however, being very great, and he left three 
pieces of cannon in our hands. 

I cannot sufficiently applaud the conduct of the 
troops throughout this action. The enemy’s po¬ 
sitions were formidable, and he took them up with 
his usual ability and celerity, and defended them 
most gallantly. But I must observe, that al¬ 
though we had such a superiority of numbers 
employed in the operations of this day, the troops 
actually engaged in the heat of the action were, 
from unavoidable circumstances, only the 5th, 
qth, 29th, the riflemen of the 95th and 60th, and 
the flank companies of major-general Hill’s bri¬ 
gade, being a number by no means equal to that 
of the enemy ; their conduct therefore deserves 
the highest commendation. 

I cannot avoid to take this opportunity of ex¬ 
pressing my acknowledgments for the aid and 
support I received from all the general and other 
officers of this army. I am particularly indebted 
to major-general Spencer, for the advice and 


128 0ppcti&tj;: 

assistance I received from him ; to major-general 
Ferguson, for the manner in which he led the left 
column ; and to major-general Hill, and brigadier- 
generals Nightingale and Fane, for the manner in 
which they conducted the different attacks which 
they led. I derived most material assistance also 
from lieutenant-colonel Tucker and lieutenant- 
colonel Bathurst, in the offices of deputy-adjutant 
and deputy quartermaster-general, and from the 
officers of the staff employed under them. I must 
also mention that I had every reason to be satisfied 
with the artillery under lieutenant-colonel Robe. 

I have the honour to enclose herewith a return 
of killed, wounded and missing. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 
(signed) Arthur Wellesley. 


Abstract of Killed , Wounded and Missing . 

Four officers, killed ; 20 officers, wounded; 
4 officers, missing : 3 non-commissioned officers 
and drummers, killed ; 20 non-commissioned 
officers and drummers, wounded ; 2 non-commis¬ 
sioned officers and drummers, missing: 63 rank 
and file, killed; 295 rank and file, wounded; 68 
rank and file, missing: 1 horse, killed ; 2 horses, 
wounded. 

Total officers, non-commissioned officers, rank 
and file, and horses, killed, wounded and missing, 
482. & 


G. B. Tucker , Dep. Adj. Gen. 



tminuera; 1808 . 


129 


{Gltmteta* 


Letter from Lieutenant-general Sir A. Wellesley 
to Lieutenant-general Sir H. Burrard. 

Sir, Vimiera, August 21, 1808. 

I have the honour to report to you, that the 
enemy attacked us in our position at Vimiera this 
morning. 

The village of Vimiera stands in a valley, 
through which runs the river Maceira; at the 
back, and to the westward and northward of this 
village is a mountain, the western point of which 
touches the sea, and the eastern is separated by 
a deep ravine from the heights, over which passes 
the road which leads from Lourinha and the north¬ 
ward to Vimiera. The greater part of the infan¬ 
try, the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, and 8th brigades, 
were posted on this mountain, with eight pieces 
of artillery; major-general Hill’s brigade being 
on the right, major-general Ferguson’s on the left, 
having one battalion on the heights, separated 
from the mountain. On the eastern and southern 
side of the town is a hill which is entirely com¬ 
manded, particularly on its right, by the mountain 
to the westward of the town, and commanding all 
the ground in the neighbourhood to the south- 



130 


^ppentu*: 

ward and eastward, on which brigadier-genera 
Fane was posted with his riflemen and the 50th 
regiment, and brigader-general Anstruther with 
his brigade, with half a brigade of six-pounders 
and half a brigade of nine-pounders, which had 
been ordered to the position in the course of last 
night. The ground over which passes the road 
from Lourinha commanded the left of this height, 
and it had not been occupied, excepting by a 
piquet, as the camp had been taken up only for 
one night; and there was no water in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of this height. 

The cavalry and the reserve of artillery were in 
the valley, between the hills on which the infantry 
stood; both flanking and supporting brigadier- 
general Fane’s advanced guard. 

The enemy first appeared at eight o’clock in 
the morning, in large bodies of cavalry on our left 
upon the heights on the road to Lourinha, and it 
was soon obvious that the attack would be made 
upon our advanced guard and the left of our 
position ; and major-general Ferguson’s brigade 
was immediately moved across the ravine to the 
heights, on the road to Lourinha, with three pieces 
of cannon: he was followed successively by bri¬ 
gadier-general Nightingale with his brigade, and 
three pieces of cannon ; brigadier-general Ack- 
1 and with his brigade, and brigadier- general Bowes 
with his brigade. These troops were formed 


131 


tminwra; isos. 

(major-general Ferguson’s brigade in the first line ; 
brigadier-general Nightingale’s in the second; 
and brigadier-general Bowes’s and Ackland’s, in 
columns in the rear) on those heights, with their 
right upon the valley which leads into Vimiera, 
and their left upon the other ravine, which sepa¬ 
rates these heights from the range which termi, 
nates at the landing-place at Maceira. On these 
last-mentioned heights, the Portuguese troops 
which had been in the bottom near Vimiera, were 
posted in the first instance, and they were sup¬ 
ported by brigadier-general’s Craufurd’s brigade. 

The troops of the advanced guard on the height 
to the southward and eastward of the town were 
deemed sufficient for its defence, and major-gene¬ 
ral Hill was moved to the centre of the mountain 
on which the great body of the infantry had been 
posted, as a support to these troops, and as a re¬ 
serve to the whole army. In addition to this 
support, these troops had that of the cavalry in 
the rear of their right. 

The enemy’s attack began in several columns 
upon the whole of the troops on this height; on 
the left they advanced, notwithstanding the fire of 
the riflemen, close to the 50th regiment, and were 
checked and driven back only by the bayonets of 
that corps. The second battalion, 43d regiment, 
was likewise closely engaged with them in the 
road which leads into Vimiera; a part of that 

K 2 


132 appentujr: 

corps having been ordered into the church-yard to 
prevent them from penetrating into the town. On 
the right of the position they were repulsed by 
the bayonets of the 97th regiment, which corps 
was successfully supported by the second bat¬ 
talion 52d regiment, which, by an advance in 
column, took the enemy in flank. 

Besides this opposition given to the attack of 
the enemy on our advanced guard by their own 
exertions, they were attacked in flank by briga¬ 
dier-general Ackland’s brigade in its advance to 
its position on the heights on the left, and a can¬ 
nonade was kept up on the flank of the enemy’s 
columns by the artillery on those heights. 

At length, after a most desperate contest, the 
enemy was driven back in confusion from this at¬ 
tack with the loss of seven pieces of cannon, many 
prisoners, and a great number of officers and sol¬ 
diers killed and wounded. He was pursued by 
the detachment of the 20th light dragoons, but 
the enemy’s cavalry were so much superior in num¬ 
bers that this detachment has suffered much, and 
lieutenant-colonel Taylor was unfortunately killed. 

Nearly at the same time the enemy’s attack 
commenced upon the heights on the road to Lou- 
rinha. This attack was supported by a large 
body of cavalry, and was made with the usual 
impetuosity of the French troops. It was re¬ 
ceived with steadiness by major-general Fergu- 


133 


imimtoa; isos. 

son’s brigade, consisting of the 36th, 40th, and 
71 st regiments ; and these corps charged as soon 
as the enemy approached them, who gave way, 
and they continued to advance upon him, sup¬ 
ported by the 82d, one of the corps of brigadier- 
general Nightingale’s brigade, which, as the ground 
extended, afterwards formed a part of the first 
line, by the 29th regiment, and by brigadier- 
general Bowes’s and Ackland’s brigades, while 
brigadier-general Craufurd’s brigade, and the Por¬ 
tuguese troops in two lines, advanced along the 
height on the left. In the advance of major- 
general Ferguson’s brigade six pieces of cannon 
were taken from the enemy, with many prisoners, 
and vast numbers were killed and wounded. 

The enemy afterwards made an attempt to re¬ 
cover a part of his artillery by attacking the 71st 
and 8ed regiments, which were halted in a valley 
in which it had been taken. These regiments re¬ 
tired from the low grounds in the valley to the 
heights, where they halted, faced about, fired, and 
advanced upon the enemy, who had by that time 
arrived in the low ground, and they thus obliged 
him again to retire with great loss. 

In this action, in which the whole of the French 
force in Portugal was employed under the com¬ 
mand of the Duke d’Abrantes in person, in which 
the enemy was certainly superior in cavalry and 
artillery, and in which not more than half of the 

k 3 


1.34 


append*: 

British army was actually engaged, he has sus¬ 
tained a signal defeat, and has lost thirteen pieces 
of cannon, twenty-three ammunition waggons, 
with powder, shells, stores of all descriptions, and 
twenty thousand rounds of musket ammunition. 
One general officer (Beniere) has been wounded 
and taken prisoner, and a great many officers 
and soldiers have been killed, wounded, and 
taken. 

The valour and discipline of His Majesty’s 
troops have been conspicious upon this occasion^ 
as you, who witnessed the greatest part of the 
action, must have observed; but it is a justice to 
the following corps to draw your notice to them 
in a particular manner; viz. the royal artillery, 
commanded by lieutenant-colonel Robe ; the 20th 
dragoons, which had been commanded by lieute¬ 
nant-colonel Taylor; the 50th regiment, com¬ 
manded by colonel Walker ; the second battalion 
95th foot, commanded by major Travers ; the fifth 
battalion, 60th regiment, commanded by major 
Davy; the second battalion 43d, commanded by 
major Hull; the second battalion 52d, commanded 
by lieutenant-colonel Ross; the 97th regiment, 
commanded by lieutenant-colonel Lyon; the 36th 
regiment, commanded by colonel Burne ; the 
40th, commanded by colonel Kemmis; the 71st, 
commanded by lieutenant-colonel Pack ; and the 
82d regiment, commanded by major Eyre. 


135 


mimiera; isos. 

In mentioning colonel Burne, and the 36th 
regiment to you upon this occasion, I cannot 
avoid to add that the regular and orderly conduct 
of this corps throughout this service, and their 
gallantry and discipline in action, have been con- 
spicious. 

I must take this opportunity of acknowledging 
my obligations to the general and staff officers of 
the army. I was much indebted to major-general 
Spencer’s judgment and experience in the decision 
which I formed with respect to the number of 
troops allotted to each point of defence; and for 
his advice and assistance throughout the action. 
In the position taken up by major-general Fergu¬ 
son’s brigade, and in its advance upon the enemy, 
that officer showed equal bravery and judgment; 
and much praise is due to brigadier-general Fane 
and brigadier-general Anstruther, for their gallant 
defence of their position in front of Vimiera, and 
to brigadier-general Nightingale, for the manner 
in which he supported the attack upon the enemy? 
made by major-general Ferguson. 

Lieutenant-colonel G. Tucker and lieutenant- 
colonel Bathurst, and the officers in the depart¬ 
ments of the adjutant and quartermaster-general, 
and lieutenant-colonel Torrens and the officers of 
my personal staff, rendered me the greatest as¬ 
sistance throughout the action. 


136 


appenfct*: 

I have the honour to enclose herewith, a return 
of the killed, wounded and missing. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 
(signed) Arthur Wellesley. 

N. B. Since writing the above, I have been 
informed that a French general officer, supposed 
to be general Thebault, the chief of the staff, has 
been found dead upon the field of battle. 

A. W. 


Abstract of Killed , Wounded and Missing. 

Four officers, killed ; 37 officers, wounded; 
2 officers, missing: 3 non-commissioned officers 
and drummers, killed; 31 non-commissioned of¬ 
ficers and drummers, wounded ; 3 non-commis¬ 
sioned officers and drummers, missing: 128 rank 
and file, killed; 466 rank and file, wounded; 46 
rank and file, missing: 43 horses, killed, wounded 
and missing. 

Total officers, non-commissioned officers and 
drummers, rank and file, and horses, killed, 
wounded and missing, 783. 

G. B. Tucker , 

Dep. Adj. Gen. 


Return of Ordnance and Ammunition taken in the 
Action of the 21 st instant. 

One six-pounder, 4 four-pounders, 2 three- 
pounders, 6 five-and-half inch howitzers. 




Corunna; 1809. 


137 

Two ammunition waggons. 

Twenty-one Portuguese ammunition cars. 

Forty horses. 

Four mules. 

The above is only the number already received 
in the park; but from several accounts, there are 
eight more taken from the enemy. The ammu¬ 
nition waggons and cars contain a portion of 
powder, shells, and stores of all descriptions, 
and about twenty thousand rounds of musket 
ammunition. 

Wm. Robe , Lt. col. 

Commanding R. Artillery. 

Lieut.-col. Tucker, &c. &c. 


Corunna. 

London Gazette Extraordinary, 24 January 1809. 

Letters from Lieutenant-general Sir D. Baird 
and Lieutenant-general Hope. 

His Majesty’s Ship Ville de Paris, 
My Lord, at Sea, January 18, 1809. 

BY the much lamented death of lieutenant- 
general Sir John Moore, who fell in action with the 
enemy on the 16th instant, it has become my duty 






138 


3ppntt>tjr: 

to acquaint your lordship that the French army 
attacked the British troops, in the position they 
occupied in front of Corunna, at about two o’clock 
in the afternoon of that day. 

A severe wound, which compelled me to quit 
the field a short time previous to the fall of Sir 
John Moore, obliges me to refer your lordship for 
the particulars of the action, which w r as long and 
obstinately contested, to the inclosed report of 
lieutenant-general Hope, who succeeded to the 
command of the army, and to whose ability and 
exertions, in direction of the ardent zeal and 
unconquerable valour of His Majesty’s troops, is 
to be attributed, under Providence, the success of 
the day, which terminated in the complete and 
entire repulse and defeat of the enemy at every 
point of attack. 

The honourable captain Gordon, my aide-de- 
camp, will have the honour of delivering this 
dispatch, and will be able to give your lordship any 
further information which may be required. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

D. Baird, Lieut. -gen. 

Right hon. Lord Viscount Castlereagh. 


His Majesty’s Ship Audacious, off Corunna, 
Sir, January 18, 1809. 

IN compliance with the desire contained in your 
communication of yesterday, I avail myself of the 



ISO 


Corunna; 1809. 

first moment I have been able to command, to 
detail to you the occurrences of the action which 
took place in front of Corunna on the 16th instant. 

It will be in your recollection, that about one 
in the afternoon of that day, the enemy, who had 
in the morning received reinforcements, and who 
had placed some guns in front of the right and 
left of his line, was observed to be moving troops 
towards his left flank, and forming various columns 
of attack at that extremity of the strong and com¬ 
manding position, which on the morning of the 
15th he had taken in our immediate front. 

This indication of his intention was immediately 
succeeded by the rapid and determined attack 
which he made upon your division, which occupied 
the right of our position. The events which 
occurred during that period of the action you are 
fully acquainted with. The first effort of the 
enemy was met by the commander of the forces, 
and by yourself, at the head of the 42d regiment, 
and the brigade under major-general Lord William 
Bentinck. 

The village on your right became an object of 
obstinate contest. 

I lament to say, that soon after the severe wound 
which deprived the army of your services, lieute¬ 
nant-general Sir John Moore, who had just directed 
the most able disposition, fell by a cannon-shot. 
The troops, though not unacquainted with the 


140 append*: 

irreparable loss they had sustained, were not 
dismayed, hut by the most determined bravery not 
only repelled every attempt of the enemy to gain 
ground, but actually forced him to retire, although 
he had brought up fresh troops in support of those 
originally engaged. 

The enemy finding himself foiled in every at¬ 
tempt to force the right of the position, endeavoured 
by numbers to turn it. A judicious and well-timed 
movement, which was made by major-general 
Paget, with the reserve, which corps had moved 
out of its cantonments to support the right of the 
army, by a vigorous attack, defeated this inten¬ 
tion. The major-general, having pushed forward 
the 95th (rifle corps) and 1st battalion 52d regi¬ 
ment, drove the enemy before him, and in his 
rapid and judicious advance threatened the left of 
the enemy’s position. This circumstance, with 
the position of lieutenant-general Fraser’s division 
(calculated to give still further security to the right 
of the line), induced the enemy to relax his efforts 
in that quarter. 

They were however more forcibly directed 
towards the centre, where they were again success¬ 
fully resisted by the brigade under major-general 
Manningham, forming the left of your division, and 
a part of that under major-general Leith, forming 
the right of the division under my orders Upon 
the left, the enemy at first contented himself with 


141 


Corunna; 1809. 

an attack upon our piquets, which however in 
general maintained their ground. Finding, how¬ 
ever, his efforts unavailing on the right and centre, 
he seemed determined to render the attack upon 
the left more serious, and had succeeded in ob ¬ 
taining possession of the village through which 
the great road to Madrid passes, and which was 
situated in front of that part of the line. From 
this post, however, he was soon expelled, with 
considerable loss, by a gallant attack of some 
companies of the 2d battalion 14th regiment, under 
lieutenant-colonel Nicholls; before five in the 
evening, we had not only successfully repelled 
every attack made upon the position, but had 
gained ground in almost all points, and occupied 
a more forward line, than at the commencement 
of the action, whilst the enemy confined his 
operations to a cannonade, and the fire of his light 
troops, with a view to draw off his other corps. 
At six the firing entirely ceased. The different 
brigades were re-assembled on the ground they 
occupied in the morning, and the piquets and 
advanced posts resumed their original stations. 

Notwithstanding the decided and marked supe¬ 
riority which at this moment the gallantry of the 
troops had given them over an enemy, who, from 
his numbers and the commanding advantages of 
his position, no doubt expected an easy victory ; 
I did not, on reviewing all circumstances, conceive 


142 Sppmtlfr: 

that I should be warranted in departing from what 
I knew was the fixed and previous determination 
of the late commander of the forces, to withdraw 
the army on the evening of the 16th, for the purpose 
of embarkation, the previous arrangements for 
which had already been made by his order, and 
were in fact far advanced at the commencement 
of the action. The troops quitted their position 
about ten at night, with a degree of order that 
did them credit. The whole of the artillery that 
remained unembarked, having been withdrawn, 
the troops followed in the order prescribed, and 
marched to their respective points of embarkation 
in the town and neighbourhood of Corunna. The 
piquets remained at their posts until five on the 
morning of the 17th, when they were also with¬ 
drawn with similar orders, and without the enemy 
having discovered the movement. 

By the unremitted exertions of captains the 
honourable H. Curzon, Gosselin, Boys, Rainier, 
Serret, Hawkins, Digby, Carden, and Mackenzie, 
of the royal navy, who in pursuance of the orders 
o,f rear-admiral De Courcy, were entrusted with 
the service of embarking the army ; and in con¬ 
sequence of the arrangements made by commis¬ 
sioner Bowen, captains Bowen and Shepherd, and 
the other agents for transports, the whole of the 
army was embarked with an expedition which has 
seldom been equalled. With the exception of the 


143 


Corunna; 1809. 

brigades under major-generals Hill and Beresford, 
which were destined to remain on shore, until the 
movements of the enemy should become manifest, 
the whole was afloat before daylight. 

The brigade of major-general Beresford, which 
was alternately to form our rear-guard, occupied 
the land front of the town of Corunna ; that 
under major-general Hill was stationed in reserve 
on the promontory in rear of the town. 

The enemy pushed his light troops towards the 
town soon after eight o’clock in the morning of 
the 17th, and shortly after occupied the heights 
of St. Lucia, which command the harbour. But 
notwithstanding this circumstance, and the mani¬ 
fold defects of the place, there being no appre¬ 
hension that the rear-guard could be forced, and 
the disposition of the Spaniards appearing to be 
good, the embarkation of major-general Hill’s 
brigade was commenced and completed by three 
in the afternoon; major-general Beresford, with 
that zeal and ability which is so well known 
to yourself and the whole army, having fully ex¬ 
plained to the satisfaction of the Spanish governor 
the nature of our movement, and having made 
every previous arrangement, withdrew his corps 
from the land front of the town soon after dark, 
and was, with all the wounded that had not been 
previously moved, embarked before one this 
morning. 


144 


appetttri*: 

Circumstances forbid us to indulge the hope, 
that the victory with which it has pleased Pro¬ 
vidence to crown the efforts of the army, can be 
attended with any very brilliant consequences to 
Great Britain. It is clouded by the loss of one 
of her best soldiers. It has been achieved at the 
termination of a long and harassing service. The 
superior numbers and advantageous positions of 
the enemy, not less than the actual situation of 
this army, did not admit of any advantage being 
reaped from success. It must be, however, to 
you, to the army, and to our country, the sweetest 
reflection, that the lustre of the British arms has 
been maintained amidst many disadvantageous cir¬ 
cumstances. The army, which had entered Spain 
amidst the fairest prospects, had no sooner com¬ 
pleted its junction, than owing to the multiplied 
disasters that dispersed the native armies around 
us, it was left to its own resources. The advance 
of the British corps from the Douro, afforded the 
best hope that the south of Spain might be re¬ 
lieved ; but this generous effort to save the un¬ 
fortunate people, also afforded the enemy the 
opportunity of directing every effort of his nume¬ 
rous troops, and concentrating all his principal 
resources, for the destruction of the only regular 
force in the north of Spain. 

You are well aware with what diligence this 
system has been pursued. 


145 


Corunna; 1809. 

These circumstances produced the necessity of 
rapid and harassing marches, which had diminished 
the numbers, exhausted the strength, and impaired 
the equipment of the army. Notwithstanding all 
these disadvantages, and those more immediately 
attached to a defensive position, which the im¬ 
perious necessity of covering the harbour of 
Corunna for a time had rendered indispensable to 
assume, the native and undaunted valour of British 
troops was never more conspicuous, and must 
have exceeded what even your own experience of 
that invaluable quality, so inherent in them, may 
have taught you to expect. When every one 
that had an opportunity seemed to vie in improving 
it, it is difficult for me, in making this report, to 
select particular instances for your approbation. 
The corps chiefly engaged were the brigades under 
major-generals Lord William Bentinck, and Man- 
ningham and Leith; and the brigade of guards 
under major-general Warde. 

To these officers, and the troops under their 
immediate orders, the greatest praise is due. 
Major-general Hill and colonel Catlin Crauford, 
with their brigades on the left of the position, 
ably supported their advanced posts. The brunt 
of the action fell upon the 4th, q2d, 50th, and 81st 
regiments, with parts of the brigade of guards, 
and the -26th regiment. From lieutenant-colonel 
Murray, quartermaster-general, and the officers 

L 


146 appenDu:: 

of the general staff, I received the most marked 
assistance. I had reason to regret that the illness 
of brigadier-general Clinton, adjutant-general, de¬ 
prived me of his aid. I was indebted to brigadier- 
general Slade during the action, for a zealous offer 
of his personal services, although the cavalry were 
embarked. 

The greater part of the fleet having gone to sea 
yesterday evening, the whole being under weigh, 
and the corps in the embarkation necessarily much 
mixed on board, it is impossible at present to lay 
before you a return of our casualties. I hope the 
loss in numbers is not so considerable as might 
have been expected. If I was obliged to form an 
estimate I should say, that I believe it did not 
exceed in killed and wounded from seven to eight 
hundred; that of the enemy must remain un¬ 
known, but many circumstances induce me to rate 
it at nearly double the above number. We have 
some prisoners, but I have not been able to obtain 
an account of the number; it is not, however, 
considerable. Several officers of rank have fallen 
or been wounded, among whom I am only at present 
enabled to state the names of lieutenant-colonel 
Napier, 92d regiment, Majors Napier and Stan¬ 
hope, 50th regiment, killed; lieutenant-colonel 
Winch, 4th regiment, lieutenant-colonel Maxwell, 
26th regiment, lieutenant - colonel Fane, 59th 
regiment, lieutenant - colonel Griffith, guards, 


Corunna; 1809. 147 

majors Miller and Williams, 81st regiment, 
wounded. 

To you, who are well acquainted with the 
excellent qualities of lieutenant-general Sir John 
Moore, I need not expatiate on the loss the 
army and his country have sustained by his death. 
His fall has deprived me of a valuable friend, to 
whom long experience of his worth had sincerely 
attached me. But it is chiefly on public grounds 
that I must lament the blow. It will be the con¬ 
solation of every one who loved or respected his 
manly character, that, after conducting the army 
through an arduous retreat with consummate 
lirmness, he has terminated a career of distin¬ 
guished honour by a death that has given the 
enemy additional reason to respect the name of 
a British soldier. Like the immortal Wolfe, he is 
snatched from his country at an early period of 
a life spent in her service; like Wolfe, his last 
moments were gilded by the prospect of success, 
and cheered by the acclamation of victory; like 
Wolfe, also, his memory will for ever remain 
sacred in that country which he sincerely loved, 
and which he had so faithfully served. 

It remains for me only to express my hope, that 
you will speedily be restored to the service of your 
country, and to lament the unfortunate circum¬ 
stance that removed you from your station in the 


l 2 


148 append*: 

field, and threw the momentary command into far 
less able hands. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

John Hope, Lieut. -gen. 

To Lieutenant-general Sir David Baird, 

&c. &c. &c. 


Letter from Rear-admiral De Courcy. 

H. M. S. Tonnant, 
Corunna, January 17, 1809. 

HAVING it in design to detach the Cossack to 
England as soon as her boats shall cease to be 
essential to the embarkation of troops, I seize 
a moment to acquaint you, for the information of 
the lords commissioners of the Admiralty, that the 
ships of war, as per margin *, and transports, 
under the orders of rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood 
and commissioner Bowen, arrived at this anchorage 
from Vigo, on the 14th and 15th instant; the 
Alfred and Hindostan, with some transports, were 
left at Vigo to receive a brigade of three thou¬ 
sand five hundred men, that had taken that route 
under the generals Alten and Crawford. 


* Ville de Paris, Victory, Barfleur, Zealous, Implacable, 
Elizabeth, Norge, Piantagcnet, Resolution, Audacious, En- 
dymion, Mediator. 




149 


Corunna; 1809. 

In the vicinity of Corunna the enemy have 
pressed upon the British in great force. The em¬ 
barkation of the sick, the cavalry, and the stores 
went on. The night of the 16th was appointed 
for the general embarkation of the infantry ; and, 
mean time, the enemy prepared for attack. At 
three p. m. an action commenced; the enemy, 
which had been posted on a lofty hill, endeavouring 
to force the British on another hill of inferior 
height, and nearer the town. 

The enemy were driven back with great slaughter: 
but very sorry am I to add, that the British, though 
triumphant, have suffered severe losses. I am 
unable to communicate further particulars, than 
that Sir John Moore received a mortal wound, of 
which he died at night; that Sir David Baird lost 
an arm ; that several officers and many men have 
been killed and wounded; and that the ships of 
war have received all such of the latter as they 
could accommodate, the remainder being sent to 
transports. 

The weather is now tempestuous, and the diffi¬ 
culties of embarkation are great. All except the 
rear-guard are embarked; consisting perhaps at 
the present moment of two thousand six hundred 
men. The enemy having brought cannon to 
a hill overhanging the beach, have forced a ma¬ 
jority of the transports to cut or slip. Embarkation 
being no longer practicable at the town, the boats 

l 3 


150 9pptns)t*: 

have been ordered to a sandy beach near the light¬ 
house ; and it is hoped that the greater part, if 
not all, will still be embarked, the ships of war 
having dropped out to facilitate embarkation. 

January 18. 

The embarkation of the troops having occupied 
greater part of last night, it has not been in my 
power to detach the Cossack before this day, and 
it is with satisfaction I am able to add, that, in 
consequence of the good order maintained by the 
troops, and the unwearied exertions of commis¬ 
sioner Bowen, the captains and other officers of 
the navy, the agents, as well as the boats crew's, 
many of whom were for two days without food 
and without repose, the army have been embarked 
to the last man, and the ships are now in the offing, 
preparatory tc steering for England. The great 
body of the transports having lost their anchors, 
ran to sea without the troops they were ordered 
to receive, in consequence of which there are some 
thousands on board the ships of war. Several 
transports, through mismanagement, ran on shore. 
The seamen appeared to have abandoned them, 
two being brought out by the boats crews of the 
men of war, two were burnt, and five were 
bilged. 

I cannot conclude this hasty statement without 
expressing my great obligation to real'-admiral Sir 


Calaimn; 1809. 151 

Samuel Hood, whose eye was every where, and 
whose exertions were unremitted. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

M. De Courcy. 

Hazy weather rendering the Cossack obscure, 
I detach the Gleaner with this dispatch. 




London Gazette Extraordinary, August 15, 1809. 

Letter from Lieutenant-general the Right honour¬ 
able Sir Arthur Wellesley , K. B. 

Talavera de la Reyna, 

My Lord, July 29,1809. 

General Cuesta followed the enemy’s march 
with his army from the Alberche on the morning 
of the 24th, as far as Santa Olalla, and pushed 
forward his advanced guard as far as Torrijos. 

For the reasons stated to your lordship in my 
dispatch of the 24th, I moved only two divisions 
of infantry and a brigade of cavalry across the 
Alberche to Casalegos, under the command of 
lieutenant-general Sherbrooke, with a view to keep 
up the communication between general Cuesta 
and me, and with Sir R. Wilson’s corps at 
Escalona. 

l 4 






1 52 


appenfci*: 

It appears that general Vanegas had not carried 
into execution that part of the plan of operations 
which related to his corps, and that he was still at 
Damiel, in La Mancha; and the enemy in the 
course of the 24th, 25th, and 26th, collected all 
his forces in this part of Spain, between Torrijos 
and Toledo, leaving but a small corps of two 
thousand men in that place. 

His united army thus consisted of the corps of 
marshal Victor, of that of general Sebastiani, and 
of seven or eight thousand men the guards of 
Joseph Buonaparte, and the garrison of Madrid, 
and it was commanded by Joseph Buonaparte, 
aided by marshals Jourdan and Victor, and general 
Sebastiani. 

On the 26th general Cuesta’s advanced guard 
was attacked near Torrijos, and obliged to fall 
back, and the general retired with his army on that 
day to the left bank of the Alberche, general Sher¬ 
brooke continuing at Casalegos, and the enemy 
at Santa Olalla. 

It was then obvious that the enemy intended to 
try the result of a general action, for which the best 
position appeared to be in the neighbourhood of 
Talavera, and general Cuesta having consented to 
take up this position on the morning of the 27th, 
I ordered general Sherbrooke to retire with his 
corps to its station in the line, leaving general 
Mackenzie with a division of infantry and a brigade 


153 


Cafabcta; 1809. 

of cavalry as an advanced post in the wood on 
the right of Alberche, which covered our left 
flank. 

The position taken up by the troops at Talavera 
extended rather more than two miles ; the ground 
was open upon the left, where the British army was 
stationed, and it was commanded by a height on 
which was, in echellon and in second line, a 
division of infantry under the orders of major- 
general Hill. 

There was a valley between this height and 
a range of mountains still further upon the left, 
which valley was not at first occupied, as it was 
commanded by the height before mentioned; and 
the range of mountains appeared too distant to 
have any influence upon the expected action. 

The right, consisting of Spanish troops, extended 
immediately in front of the town of Talavera 
dow n to the Tagus. This part of the ground was 
covered by olive trees, and much intersected by 
banks and ditches. The high road leading from 
the bridge over the Alberche, was defended by 
a heavy battery in front of a church, which was 
occupied by Spanish infantry. All the avenues 
to the town were defended in a similar manner; 
the town was occupied, and the remainder of the 
Spanish infantry was formed in two lines behind 
the banks on the roads which led from the town 
and the right, to the left of our position. 


154 


append*: 

In the centre, between the two armies, there 
was a commanding spot of ground, on which we 
had commenced to construct a redoubt, with some 
open ground in its rear. 

Brigadier-general Alexander Campbell was 
posted at this spot with a division of infantry, 
supported in his rear by general Cotton’s brigade 
of dragoons, and some Spanish cavalry. 

At about two o’clock on the 27th, the enemy 
appeared in strength on the left bank of the Al- 
berche, and manifested an intention to attack 
general Mackenzie’s division. 

The attack was made before they could be with¬ 
drawn ; but the troops, consisting of general Mac¬ 
kenzie’s and colonel Donkin’s brigades, and general 
Anson’s brigade of cavalry, and supported by 
general Payne with the other four regiments of 
cavalry, in the plain between Talavera and the 
wood, withdrew in good order, but with some loss, 
particularly by the 2d battalion 87th regiment, 
and 2d battalion 31st regiment, in the wood. 

Upon this occasion the steadiness and discipline 
of the 45th regiment, and of the 5th battalion 
60th regiment, were conspicuous ; and I had par¬ 
ticular reason for being satisfied with the manner 
in which major-general Mackenzie withdrew his 
advanced guard. 

As the day advanced, the enemy appeared in 
larger numbers on the right of the Alberche, and 


155 


'Salafccta; 1809- 

it was obvious that he was advancing to a general 
attack upon the combined army. 

General Mackenzie continued to fall back 
gradually upon the left of the position of the 
combined armies, where he was placed in the 
second line, in the rear of the guards, colonel 
Donkin being placed in the same situation 
further upon the left, in the rear of the King’s 
German Legion. 

The enemy immediately commenced his attack 
in the dusk of the evening, by a cannonade upon 
the left of our position, and by an attempt with 
his cavalry to overthrow the Spanish infantry 
posted, as I have before stated, on the right. 
This attempt failed entirely. 

Early in the night he pushed a division along 
the valley on the left of the height occupied by 
general Hill, of which he gained a momentary 
possession, but major-general Hill attacked it 
instantly with the bayonet, and regained it. 

This attack was repeated in the night, but failed, 
and again at daylight in the morning of the 28th, 
by two divisions of infantry, and was repulsed by 
major-general Hill. 

Major-general Hill has reported to me in a par¬ 
ticular manner the conduct of the 29th regiment, 
and of the 1st battalion 48th regiment, in these 
different affairs, as well as that of major-general 
Tilson and brigadier-general Richard Stewart. 


156 iippcttinjc: 

We have lost many brave officers and soldiers 
in the defence of this important point in our 
position; among others I cannot avoid to mention 
brigade-major Fordyce, and brigade-major Gard¬ 
ner ; and major-general Hill was himself wounded, 
but I am happy to say but slightly. 

The defeat of this attempt was followed about 
noon by a general attack with the enemy’s whole 
force upon the whole of that part of the position 
occupied by the British army. 

In consequence of the repeated attempts upon 
the height on our left by the valley, I had placed 
two brigades of British cavalry in that valley, sup¬ 
ported in the rear by the Due d’Albuquerque’s 
division of Spanish cavalry. 

The enemy then placed light infantry in the 
range of mountains on the left of the valley, 
which were opposed by a division of Spanish 
infantry under lieutenant-general De Basse- 
court. 

The general attack began by the march of seve¬ 
ral columns of infantry into the valley with a view 
to attack the height occupied by major-general 
Hill. These columns were immediately charged 
by the 1st German light dragoons, and 23d dra¬ 
goons, under the command of general Anson, 
directed by lieutenant-general Payne, and support¬ 
ed by general Fane’s brigade of heavy cavalry; and 
although the 23d dragoons suffered considerable 


Calafceva; 1809. 157 

loss, the charge had the effect of preventing the 
execution of that part of the enemy’s plan. 

At the same time he directed an attack upon 
brigadier-general Alexander Campbell’s position 
in the centre of the combined armies, and on the 
right of the British. 

This attack was most successfully repulsed by 
brigadier-general Campbell, supported by the 
King’s regiment of Spanish cavalry, and two bat¬ 
talions of Spanish infantry; and brigadier-general 
Campbell took the enemy’s cannon. 

The brigadier-general mentions particularly the 
conduct of the 97th, the 2d battalion 7th, and of 
the 2d battalion 53d regiments, and I was highly 
satisfied with the manner in which this part of the 
position was defended. 

An attack was also made at the same time upon 
lieutenant-general Sherbrooke’s division, which 
was on the left and centre of the first line of the 
British army. 

This attack was most gallantly repulsed by a 
charge with bayonets, by the whole division, but 
the brigade of guards, which were on the right, 
having advanced too far, they were exposed on 
their left flank to the fire of the enemy’s battery, 
and of their retiring columns ; and the division 
was obliged to retire towards the original position, 
under cover of the 2d line of general Cotton’s 
brigade of cavalry, which I had moved from the 
centre, and of the 1st battalion 48th regiment. 


158 


appentrij:: 

I had moved this regiment from its original 
position on the heights, as soon as I observed the 
advance of the guards, and it was formed in the 
plain, and advanced upon the enemy, and covered 
the formation of lieutenant-general Sherbrooke’s 
division. 

Shortly after the repulse of this general attack, 
in which apparently all the enemy’s troops were 
employed, he commenced his retreat across the 
Alberche, which was conducted in the most regular 
order, and was effected during the night, leaving 
in our hands twenty pieces of cannon, ammuni¬ 
tion, tumbrils, and some prisoners. 

Your lordship will observe by the inclosed 
return, the great loss which we have sustained of 
valuable officers and soldiers, in this long and 
hard-fought action, with more than double out¬ 
numbers. That of the enemy has been much 
greater. I am informed that entire brigades of 
infantry have been destroyed, and indeed the 
battalions that retreated were much reduced in 
numbers. By all accounts their loss is ten thou¬ 
sand men. Generals Lapisse and Morlot are killed ; 
generals Sebastiani and Boulet wounded. 

I have particularly to lament the loss of major- 
general Mackenzie, who had distinguished himself 
on the 27th; and of brigadier-general Langwerth, 
of the King’s German Legion ; and of brigade- 
major Beckett, of the guards. 

Your lordship will observe, that the attacks of 


15 9 


^al after a; 1809. 

the enemy were principally, if not entirely, directed 
against the British troops. The Spanish com¬ 
mander in chief, his officers, and troops, mani¬ 
fested every disposition to render us assistance, 
and those of them which were engaged did their 
duty, but the ground which they occupied was 
so important, and its front at the same time so 
difficult, that I did not think it proper to urge 
them to make any movement on the left of the 
enemy while he was engaged with us. 

I have reason to be satisfied with the conduct 
of all the officers and troops. I am much indebted 
to lieutenant-general Sherbrooke for the assistance 
I received from him, and for the manner in 
which he led on his division to the charge with 
bayonets. 

To lieutenant-general Payne and the cavalry, 
particularly general Anson’s brigade, to major- 
generals Hill and Tilson, brigadier-generals Alex¬ 
ander Campbell, Richard Stewart, and Cameron, 
and to the divisions and brigades of infantry under 
their commands respectively, particularly the 29th 
regiment, commanded by colonel White, the 1st 
battalion 48th, commanded by colonel Donnellan, 
afterwards, when that officer was wounded, by 
major Middlemore ; the 2d battalion 7th, com¬ 
manded by lieutenant-colonel Sir William Myers; 
the 2d battalion 53d, commanded by lieutenant- 
colonel Bingham; the 97th, commanded by colonel 
Lyon ; the l st battalion of detachments, com- 


160 aptmitri*: 

manded by lieutenant-colonel Bunbury, and the 
2d battalion 31st, commanded by major Watson, 
and of the 45th, commanded by lieutenant-colonel 
Guard, and 5th battalion 60th, commanded by 
major Davy, on the 27th. 

The advance of the brigade of guards was most 
gallantly conducted by brigadier-general Campbell, 
and when necessary, that brigade retired, and 
formed again in the best order. 

The artillery under brigadier-general Howorth 
was also, throughout these days, of the greatest 
service, and I had every reason to be satisfied with 
the assistance I received from the chief engineer 
lieutenant-colonel Fletcher, the adjutant-general 
brigadier-general the honourable C. Stewart, and 
the quartermaster-general colonel Murray, and 
the officers of those departments respectively, 
and from colonel Bathurst and the officers of my 
personal stalf. 

I also received much assistance from colonel 
O’Lawlor, of the Spanish service, and from bri* 
gadier-general Whittingham, who was wounded 
when bringing up the two Spanish battalions to 
the assistance of brigadier-general Alexander 
Campbell. 

I send this by captain Lord Fitzroy Somerset, 
who will give your lordship any further information, 
and whom 1 beg leave to recommend. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

(signed) Arthur Wellesley. 


^alafcera ; 1809. 


161 


Return of the numbers of Killed , Wounded and 

Missing , of the Army under the Command of 

Lieutenant-general Sir Arthur Wellesley , K. B. 

in Action with the French Army , commanded by 

Joseph Buonaparte , ora the 27 th and 28th July 

1809. 

27 th July 1809. 

Killed—7 officers, 2 serjeants, 122 rank and file. 

Wounded—24 officers, 17 serjeants, 1 drum¬ 
mer, 465 rank and file. 

Missing—3 officers, 1 serjeant, 2 drummers, 
202 rank and file. 

28th July 1809. 

Killed—27 officers, 26 serjeants, 4 drummers, 
613 rank and file. 

Wounded—171 officers, 148 serjeants, 15 drum¬ 
mers, 3,072 rank and file. 

Missing—6 officers, 14 serjeants, 7 drummers, 
418 rank and file. 

Total. 

Killed—5 general staff, 2 lieutenant-colonels, 

1 major, 7 captains, 15 lieutenants, 3 cornets or 
ensigns, 1 adjutant, 28 serjeants, 4 drummers, 735 
rank and file. 

Wounded—9 general staff, 10 lieut.-colonels, 
12 majors, 53 captains, 71 lieutenants, 34 cor- 

M 


162 appentujtr: 

nets or ensigns, 6 adjutants, 65 serjeants, 
16 drummers, 3,537 rank and file. 

Missing—5 captains, 3 lieutenants, 1 cornet or 
ensign, 15 serjeants, 9 drummers, 620 rank 
and file. 

Total 5,367. 


aibuera* 


London Gazette Extraordinary, 3d June 1811. 


Letters from Lieutenant-general Viscount Wel¬ 
lington and Sir .William Beresford. 

Elvas, 2‘2d May 1811. 

ON the night of the 15 th instant I received from 
marshal Sir William Beresford letters of the 12th 
and 13th instant, which reported marshal Soult 
had broken up from Seville about the 10th, and 
had advanced towards Estremadura, notwith¬ 
standing the reports which had been previously 
received that he was busily occupied in strength¬ 
ening Seville and the approaches to that city by 
works ; and that all his measures indicated an in¬ 
tention to remain on the defensive in Andalusia. 

I therefore set out on the following morning 
from Villa Fermosa ; and having received further 
information of the 14th, from Sir William Beres- 






163 


albuera; I8ii. 

ford, of the enemy’s movements, I hastened my 
progress, and arrived here on the 19th, and found 
that Sir William Beresford had raised the siege of 
Badajoz, without the loss of ordnance or stores of 
any description ; and collected the troops under 
his command, and had formed a junction with 
generals Castanos and Blake at Albuera, in the 
bourse of the 15th instant. 

He was attacked there on the 16th by the 
French army under the command of marshal 
Soult; and after a most severe engagement, in 
which all the troops conducted themselves in the 
most gallant manner, Sir William Beresford gained 
the victory. The enemy retired in the night of 
the 17th, leaving between 900 and 1,000 wounded 
on the ground. 

Sir William Beresford sent the allied cavalry 
after them ; and on the 19th, in the morning, re¬ 
invested Badajoz. 

I enclose reports of Sir William Beresford, of 
the 16th and 18th instant, on the operations of the 
siege to the moment of raising it, and on the battle 
at Albuera; and 1 beg to draw your lordship’s 
attention to the ability, the firmness, and the gal¬ 
lantry manifested by marshal Sir W illiam Beres¬ 
ford throughout the transactions on which he has 
written. I will add nothing to what he has said 
of the conduct of all the officers and troops, ex¬ 
cepting to express my admiration of it, and my 

M 2 


164 


appcntujP: 

cordial concurrence in the favourable reports by 
Sir William Beresford of the good conduct of all. 

All has remained quiet in Castile since I quitted 
that part of the country. 

The battalions of the 9th corps, belonging to 
regiments serving in the corps d’armee in Anda¬ 
lusia, had marched from Salamanca on or about 
the 15th, and went towards Avila, and were to 
come by Madrid. 

I send this dispatch by major (lieutenant- 
colonel) Arbuthnot, the secretary of marshal Sir 
William Beresford, who was present in the battle 
of Albuera, and can give your lordship any further 
information you can require ; and I beg leave to 
recommend him to your lordship. 


My Lord, Albuera, 18th May 1811. 

I have infinite satisfaction in communicating 
to your lordship, that the allied army, united here 
under my orders, obtained on the 16th instant, 
after a most sanguinary contest, a complete vic¬ 
tory over that of the enemy, commanded by 
marshal Soult; and I shall proceed to relate to 
your lordship the circumstances. 

In a former report I have informed your lord- 
ship of the advance of marshal Soult from Seville, 
and I had in consequence judged it wise entirely 



165 


0lbuera; isii. 

tx> raise the siege of Badajoz, and prepare to meet 
him witTi our united forces, rather than by looking 
to two objects at once, to risk the loss of both. 
Marshal Soult, it appears, had been long strain¬ 
ing every nerve to collect a force which he 
thought fully sufficient to his object for the re¬ 
lief of Badajoz, and for this purpose he had drawn 
considerable numbers from the corps of marshal 
Victor and general Sebastiani, and also I believe 
from the French army of the centre. Having 
thus completed his preparations, he marched from 
Seville on the loth instant, with a corps then esti¬ 
mated at fifteen or sixteen thousand men, and 
was joined on descending into Estremadura by 
the corps under general Latour Maubourg, stated 
to be five thousand men. His excellency general 
Blake, as soon as he learnt the advance of mar¬ 
shal Soult, in strict conformity to the plan pro¬ 
posed by your lordship, proceeded to form his 
junction with the corps under my orders, and ar¬ 
rived at Valverde in person on the 14th instant, 
where having consulted with his excellency and 
general Castanos, it was determined to meet the 
enemy, and to give him battle. 

On finding the determination of the enemy to 
relieve Badajoz, I had broken up from before that 
place, and marched the infantry to the position 
in front of Val verde, except the division of the 
honourable major-general G. L. Cole, which, 

M 3 


166 appenDt*: 

with two thousand Spanish troops, I left to cover 
the removal of our stores. 

The cavalry, which had, according to orders, 
fallen back as the enemy advanced, was joined 
at Santa Martha by the cavalry of general Blake; 
that of general Castanos under the count de 
Penne Villamur had been always with it. 

As remaining at Valverde, though a stronger 
position, left Badajoz entirely open, I determined 
to take up a position (such as could be got, in 
this widely open country) at this place ; thus 
standing directly between the enemy and Ba¬ 
dajoz. 

The army was therefore assembled here on the 
15th instant. The corps of general Blake, though 
making a forced march to effect it, only joined 
in the night, and could not be placed in its posi¬ 
tion till the morning of the 16th instant, when 
general Cole’s division, with the Spanish brigade 
under Don Carlos d’Espagne, also joined, and a 
little before the commencement of the action.— 
Our cavalry had been forced on the morning of 
the 15th instant to retire from Santa Martha, 
and joined here. In the afternoon of that day 
the enemy appeared in front of us. The next 
morning our disposition for receiving the enemy 
was made, being formed in two lines, nearly 
parallel to the river Albuera, on the ridge of the 
gradual ascent rising from that river, and covering 


aibucra; 1811. 167 

the roads to Badajoz and Valverde ; though your 
lordship is aware, that the whole face of this 
country is every where passable for all arms. 
General Blake’s corps was on the right, in two 
lines; its left, on the Valverde road, joined the 
right of major-general the honourable William 
Stewart’s division, the left of which reached the 
Badajoz road ; where commenced the right of 
major-general Hamilton's division, which closed 
the left of the line. General Cole’s division, with 
one brigade of general Hamilton’s, formed the 
second line of the British and Portuguese army. 

The enemy, on the morning of the 16th, did 
not long delay his attack; at eight o’clock he was 
observed to be in movement, and his cavalry was 
seen passing the rivulet of Albuera, considerably 
above our right, and shortly after he marched out 
of the wood opposite to us, a strong force of 
cavalry, and two heavy columns of infantry, point¬ 
ing them to our front, as if to attack the village 
and bridge of Albuera. During this time, under 
the cover of his vastly superior cavalry, he was 
filing the principal body of his infantry over the 
river beyond our right, and it was not long before 
his intention appeared to be to turn us by that 
flank, and cut us off from Valverde. Major- 
general Cole’s division was therefore ordered to 
form an oblique line to the rear of our right, with 
his own right thrown back. And the intention of 

m 4 


168 appentrijc: 

the enemy to attack our right becoming evident, 
I requested general Blake to form part of his first 
line, and all his second, to that front, which was 
done. 

The enemy commenced his attack a^ nine 
o’clock, not ceasing at the same time to menace 
our left; and after a strong and gallant resistance 
of the Spanish troops, he gained the heights upon 
which they had been formed: meanwhile the divi¬ 
sion of the honourable major-general William 
Stewart had been brought up to support them; 
and that of major-general Hamilton brought to 
the left of the Spanish line, and formed in con¬ 
tiguous close columns of battalions, to be move- 
able in any direction. The Portuguese brigade 
of cavalry, under brigadier-general Otway, re¬ 
mained at some distance on the left of this, 
to check any attempt of the enemy below the 
village. 

As the heights the enemy had gained raked 
and entirely commanded our whole position, it. 
became necessary to make every effort to retake 
and maintain them; and a noble one was made 
by the division of general Stewart, headed by that 
gallant officer. Nearly at the beginning of the 
enemy’s attack, a heavy storm of rain came on, 
which, with the smoke from the firing, rendered 
it impossible to discern anything distinctly. This, 
with the nature of the ground, had been extremely 


aibrnra; 1811. 169 

favourable to the enemy in forming his columns, 
and in his subsequent attack. 

The right brigade of general Stewarts division, 
under lieutenant-colonel Colborne, first came into 
action, and behaved in the most gallant manner, 
and finding that the enemy’s column could not be 
shaken by fire, proceeded to attack it with the 
bayonet; and while in the act of charging, a 
body of Polish lancers (cavalry), which the thick¬ 
ness of the atmosphere and the nature of the 
ground had concealed, (and which was, besides, 
mistaken by those of the brigade when discovered 
for Spanish cavalry, and therefore not fired upon,) 
turned it; and being thus attacked unexpectedly 
in the rear, was unfortunately broken and suffered 
immensely. The 31 st regiment, being the left one 
of the brigade, alone escaped this charge, and 
under the command of major L’Estrange kept its 
ground, until the arrival of the 3d brigade, under 
major-general Hoghton. The conduct of this 
brigade was most conspicuously gallant, and that 
of the 2d brigade, under the command of the 
honourable lieutenant-colonel Abercrombie, was 
not less so: major-general Hoghton, cheering on 
his brigade to the charge, fell pierced by wounds. 
Though the enemy’s principal attack was on this 
point of the right, he also made a continual at¬ 
tempt upon that part of our original front at the 
village and bridge, which were defended in the most 


170 append: 

gallant manner by major-general Baron Alten and 
the light infantry brigade of the German Legion, 
whose conduct was, in every point of view, con¬ 
spicuously good. This point now formed our 
left, and major-general Hamilton’s division had 
been brought up there; and he was left to direct 
the defence of that point, whilst the enemy’s at¬ 
tack continued on our right, a considerable pro¬ 
portion of the Spanish troops supporting the 
defence of this place. The enemy’s cavalry, on 
his infantry attempting to force our right, had 
endeavoured to turn it; but by the able manoeuvres 
of major-general the honourable William Lumley, 
commanding the allied cavalry, though vastly 
inferior to that of the enemy in number, his en¬ 
deavours were foiled. Major-general Cole, seeing 
the attack of the enemy, very judiciously bringing 
up his left a little, marched in line to attack the 
enemy’s left, and arrived most opportunely to 
contribute, with the charges of the brigades of 
general Stewart’s division, to force the enemy to 
abandon his situation, and retire precipitately, 
and to take refuge under his reserve; here the 
fuzileer brigade particularly distinguished itself. 
He was pursued by the allies to a consider¬ 
able distance, and as far as I thought it prudent 
with his immense superiority of cavalry; and I 
contented myself with seeing him driven across 
the Albuera. 


0ltiuera; isu. 171 

I have every reason to speak favourably of the 
manner in which our artillery was served, and 
fought; and major Hartman commanding the 
British, and major Dickson commanding the Por¬ 
tuguese, and the officers and men, are entitled to 
my thanks. The four guns of the horse artillery, 
commanded by captain Lefebure, did great exe¬ 
cution on the enemy’s cavalry, and one brigade 
of Spanish artillery (the only one in the field) I saw 
equally gallantly and well served : we lost, in the 
misfortune which occurred to the brigade com¬ 
manded by lieutenant-colonel Colborne (whom 
general Stewart reports to have acted and was 
then acting in a most noble manner, leading on 
the brigade in admirable order), one howitzer, 
which the enemy, before the arrival of the gallant 
general Hoghton’s brigade, had time to carry off, 
with two hundred or three hundred prisoners, of 
that brigade. After he had been beaten from 
this, his principal attack, he still continued that 
near the village, on which he never could make 
any impression or cross the rivulet, though I had 
been obliged to bring a very great proportion of the 
troops from it, to support the principal point of 
attack; but the enemy seeing his main attack de¬ 
feated, relaxed in his attempt there also. The Portu¬ 
guese division of major-general Hamilton, in every 
instance evinced the utmost steadiness and courage, 
and manoeuvred equally well with the British. 


172 0pp?ntit>: 

Brigadier-general Harvey’s Portuguese brigade, 
belonging to general Cole’s division, had an 
opportunity of distinguishing itself when marching 
in line across the plain, by repulsing with the ut¬ 
most steadiness a charge of the enemy’s cavalry. 

It is impossible to enumerate every instance of 
discipline and valour shown on this severely con¬ 
tested day. But never were troops that more 
valiantly or more gloriously maintained the honour 
of their respective countries. I have not been 
able to particularize the Spanish divisions, bri¬ 
gades, or regiments, that were particularly en¬ 
gaged, because 1 am not acquainted with their 
denominations or names; but I have great plea¬ 
sure in saying that their behaviour was most gal¬ 
lant and honourable ; and though, from the 
superior number and weight of the enemy’s force, 
that part of them that were in the position attacked 
were obliged to cede the ground, it was after a 
gallant resistance, and they continued in good 
order to support their allies ; and I doubt not, his 
excellency general Blake will do ample justice on 
this head, by making honourable mention of the 
deserving. 

The battle commenced at nine o’clock, and 
continued without interruption till two in the after¬ 
noon, when the enemy having been driven over 
the Albuera, for the remainder of the day there 
was but cannonading and skirmishing. 


aibutta; lSll. 173 

It is impossible by any description to do justice 
to the distinguished gallantry of the troops, but 
every individual most nobly did his duty, and 
which will be well proved by the great loss we 
have suffered, though repulsing the enemy; and 
it was observed that our dead, particularly the 
57th regiment, were lying, as they had fought, in 
ranks, and every wound was in the front. 

The honourable major-general William Stewart 
most particularly distinguished himself, and con¬ 
duced much to the honour of the day; he received 
two contusions but would not quit the field. 
Major-general the honourable G. L. Cole is also 
entitled to every praise; and I have to regret 
being deprived for some time of his services, by 
the wound he has received. The honourable 
lieutenant-colonel Abercrombie, commanding the 
2d brigade, 2d division, and major L’Estrange 
31st regiment, deserve to be particularly men¬ 
tioned; and nothing could exceed the conduct 
and gallantry of colonel Inglis, at the head of his 
regiment. To the honourable major-general 
William Lumley, for the very able manner in 
which he opposed the numerous cavalry of the 
enemy, and foiled him in his object, I am parti¬ 
cularly indebted. To major-general Hamilton, 
who commanded on the left during the severe 
attack upon our right, I am also much indebted; 
and the Portuguese brigade of brigadier-generals 


174 Spprnirij?: 

Fonseca and Archibald Campbell, deserve to be 
mentioned. To major-general Alten, and to the 
excellent brigade under his orders, I have much 
praise to give; and it is with great pleasure I as¬ 
sure your lordship that the good and gallant con¬ 
duct of every corps, and of every person, was in 
proportion to the opportunity that offered for dis¬ 
tinguishing themselves. I know not an individual 
who did not do his duty. 

I have, I fear, to regret the loss to the service 
of colonel Collins, commanding a Portuguese bri¬ 
gade, his leg having been carried off by a cannon 
shot. He is an officer of great merit; and I' deeply 
lament the death of major-general Hoghton, and 
of those two promising officers lieutenant-colonel 
Sir William Myers and lieutenant-colonel Duck¬ 
worth. 

It is most pleasing to me to inform your lord- 
ship, not only of the steady and gallant conduct 
of our allies, the Spanish troops, under his excel¬ 
lency general Blake, but also to assure you that 
the most perfect harmony has subsisted between 
us, and that general Blake not only conformed in 
all things to the general line proposed by your 
lordship, but in the details and in whatever I sug¬ 
gested to his excellency, I received the most im¬ 
mediate and cordial assent and co-operation, and 
nothing was omitted on his part to ensure the suc¬ 
cess of our united efforts; and during the battle, 


aibuera; 1811 . 175 

lie most essentially, by his experience, knowledge 
and zeal, contributed to its fortunate result. 

His excellency the captain-general Castanos, 
who had united the few troops he had in a state 
to be brought into the field, to those of general 
Blake, and placed them under his orders, assisted 
in person in the field; and not only on this, but 
on all occasions, I am much indebted to general 
Castanos, who is ever beforehand in giving what¬ 
ever can be beneficial to the success of the com¬ 
mon cause. 

Though I unfortunately cannot point out the 
corps or many of the individuals of the Spanish 
troops that distinguished themselves, yet I will 
not omit to mention the names of general Valles- 
teros, whose gallantry was most conspicuous, as of 
the corps he had under his command ; and the 
same of generals Zayas and of Don Carlos 
D’Espagne. The Spanish cavalry have behaved 
extremely well, and the Count de Penne Villamur 
is particularly deserving to be mentioned. 

I annex the return of our loss in this hard con¬ 
tested day: it is very severe, and in addition to it 
is the loss of the troops under his excellency gene¬ 
ral Blake, who are killed, missing and wounded, 
but of which I have not the return. The loss of 
the enemy, though I cannot know what it is, must 
be still more severe; he has left on the field of 
battle about two thousand dead, and we have taken 


17*3 2ppc»Dir: 

from nine hundred to one thousand prisoners. 
He has had five generals killed and wounded ; of 
the former, generals of division Werle and Pefim ; 
and Gazan and two others amongst the latter. 
His force was much more considerable than we 
had been informed of, as I do not think he dis¬ 
played less than from twenty to twenty-two thou¬ 
sand infantry, and he certainly had four thousand 
cavalry, with a numerous and a heavy artillery. 
His overbearing cavalry cramped and confined 
all our operations, and with his artillery saved his 
infantry, after its rout. 

He retired after the battle to the ground he had 
been previously on, but occupying it in position ; 
and on this morning, or rather during the night, 
commenced his retreat on the road he came, to¬ 
wards Seville, and has abandoned Badajoz to its 
fate. He left a number of his wounded on the 
ground he had retired to, and which we are ad¬ 
ministering what assistance to we can. I have 
sent our cavalry to follow the enemy, but in that 
arm he is too powerful for us to attempt any thing 
against him in the plains he is traversing. 

Thus we have reaped the advantage we pro¬ 
posed from our opposition to the attempts of the 
enemy; and whilst he has been forced to abandon 
the object for which he has almost stripped An¬ 
dalusia of troops, instead of having accomplished 
the haughty boasts with which marshal Soult 


aHiuera; 1811. 177 

harangued his troops on leaving Seville, he returns 
there with a curtailed army, and what perhaps may 
be still more hurtful to him, with a diminished 
reputation. 

In enumerating the services received from the 
officers of my own staff, I must particularly call 
your lordship’s attention to those of brigadier- 
general d’Urban, quartermaster-general to the 
Portuguese army; and which I cannot sufficiently 
praise, though I can appreciate. On all occasions 
I have felt the benefits of his talents and services, 
and more particularly on this, where they very 
essentially contributed to the success of the day ; 
and I cannot here omit the name of lieutenant- 
colonel Hardinge, deputy quartermaster-general 
to the Portuguese troops, whose talent and exer¬ 
tions deserve my thanks. To brigadier-general 
Mozinho, adjutant-general of the Portuguese army, 
and to lieutenant-colonel Rooke, assistant adju¬ 
tant general to the united British and Portuguese 
force, and to brigadier-general Lemos, and to the 
officers of my own personal staff, I am indebted 
for their assistance. 

To the services of lieutenant-colonel Arbuthnot 
(major in His Majesty’s service) I am also much 
indebted, and he is the bearer of this to your lord- 
ship, and is fully enabled to give you any further 
information you may desire, and is most deserving 
of any favour your lordship may be pleased to 

N 


178 append*: 

recommend him for, to his royal highness the 
Prince Regent. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

(signed) W. C. Beresford, 

Marshal and Lieut.-gen. 

P. S. Major-general Hamilton’s division, and 
brigadier-general Madden’s brigade of Portuguese 
cavalry, march to-morrow morning to re-invest 
Badajoz on the south side of the Guadiana. 

W. C. B. 


Abstract of Killed, Wounded and Missing. 

Two general staff, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 major, 
7 captains, 13 lieutenants, 9 ensigns, 1 staff, 33 
serjeants, 4 drummers, 913 rank and file, 63 horses, 
killed; 8 general staff, 5 lieutenant-colonels, 5 
majors, 48 captains, 86 lieutenants, 22 ensigns, 7 
staff, 146 serjeants, 10 drummers, 2,656 rank and 
file, 35 horses, wounded ; 1 major, 4 captains, 8 
lieutenants, 1 ensign, 28 serjeants, 11 drummers, 
517 rank and file, 17 horses, missing. 

(signed) Charles Stewart, 
Major-general and Adjutant-general. 


My Lord, Elvas, May 22d, 1811. 

I enclose a letter of the 21st instant, which 
I have received from marshal Sir William Beres- 




Albuera; 1811. 179 

ford, containing a letter from general Gazan to 
marshal Soult, which had been intercepted by 
some of our parties. 

General Gazan, wounded himself, was marching 
with the wounded ; and from his account of those 
with him, from the account of those at Almendra- 
lejo, and those left on the ground at Albuera, from 
the numbers found dead on the field, and the pri¬ 
soners, the marshal computes the enemy’s loss not 
to fall short of 9,000 men. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

Wellington. 


Camp near Albuera, 

My Lord, 21st May 1811. 

I have the honour to transmit to your lordship 
the accompanying intercepted letters of some im¬ 
portance. After the severe battle we had, it is 
satisfactory to know that our calculations of the 
enemy’s loss were not exaggerated; and you will 
see by general Gazan’s letter to marshal Soult, 
that in killed and wounded it cannot be less than 
eight thousand men: left dead on the field and 
taken, we have the knowledge of near three thou¬ 
sand ; general Gazan states that he has more than 
four thousand wounded with him ; three hundred 
and twenty were at Almendralejo ; by the same 
letters, Gazan says many have died on the road, 
and which we know must have been the case, as it 


/» 


N ‘2 



180 


3ppent>i*: 

is in the few first days that the bad cases die in 
numbers, and a precipitate retreat and want of 
convenient carriage must increase the mortality : 
thus we can scarcely calculate the loss of the 
enemy from these data at less than nine thousand 
men. 

Our advance was close to Azuchal and Almen- 
dralejo, and I propose putting a strong column of 
infantry in march towards those places to-morrow T 
morning, and shall accompany it. 

I have, &c. 

(signed) \V. C. Beresford. 


(Translation.) 

Ribera, 19th May 1811. 

Monsieur le Marechal, 

I have the honour to report to your excellency 
that I am just arrived with the whole of the 
column, which is infinitely more numerous than I 
could have believed. I am endeavouring to or¬ 
ganize it, in order to avoid disasters, and particu¬ 
larly plundering, which would make us die of 
hunger, and which I found at the highest pitch this 
morning upon my arrival at Almendralejo. 

I found upon my arrival here a letter from 
M. Le Normand to major D’Aubersac. I annex 
it herewith, after having acqua : nted myself with 



181 


aibuera; 1811 . 

its contents. As I imagine that it can be only the 
gth corps which is at Almaraz, I write from hence 
to the Count d’Erlon, in order to induce him to 
hasten his march and to join you. However as it 
is also possible that they may be troops belonging 
to the army of the centre, commanded by general 
D’Armagnac, I write to him likewise, in order 
that he may move towards you. 

I send an answer to captain Le Normand, to 
intimate to him that he should correspond with 
your excellency, major D’Aubersac having re¬ 
joined the army: I have ordered him to collect 
a large convoy of provisions, and to accompany 
it to you, that it may the more securely reach 
you. 

The great heat will do a great deal of harm to 
our wounded, the number of whom amounts to 
more than four thousand; especially as we have 
only five surgeons to dress them. Some have died 
upon the road; amongst them M. la Pierre, chef 
debataillon of the 103d regiment. 

I am still without any news of the chef d’esca- 
dron La Barthe ; I shall have the honour of in¬ 
forming you the very moment I shall have been 
able to communicate with him. Spanish parties 
are at Los Santos and at Fuente del Maestro ; and 
have appeared this morning at Almendralejo and 
Villa Franca. They made inquiries at the latter 
place as to the march of our column; and they 

n 3 


182 appctiDV: 

give out that four hundred horse and a strong 
column of infantry are to arrive to day at Los 
Santos ; I do not give any credit to this movement, 
but at all events we shall see them, and I shall try 
to escape them. 

I beg your excellence to receive the assurance of 
the sincere and respectful devotion with which 

I have the honour to be, 
(signed) The General of Division, Gazan. 


Salamanca. 

London Gazette Extraordinary, 16 Aug. 1812. 

Extracts from three Letters from the Earl of 

Wellington. 

Cabrerizos, near Salamanca, 
Juty 21, 1812. 

IN the course of the 15th and 16th, the enemy 
moved all their troops to the right of their position 
on the Douro, and their army was concentrated 
between Toro and San Roman. 

A considerable body passed the Douro at Toro 
on the evening of the 16th, and I moved the allied 
army to their left on that night, with ail intention 
to concentrate on the Guarena. 






183 


feniamastca; 1812. 

It was totally out of my power to prevent the 
enemy from passing the Douro at any point at 
which he might think it expedient, as he had in 
his possession all the bridges over that river, and 
many of the fords; but he recrossed that river at 
Toro, in the night of the 16th, moved his whole 
army to Tordesillas, where he again crossed the 
Douro on the morning of the 17th, and assembled 
his army on that day at La Nava del Rey, having 
marched not less than ten leagues in the course 
of the 17th. 

The 4th and light divisions of infantry, and 
major-general Anson’s brigades of cavalry, had 
marched to Castrejon on the night of the 16th, 
with a view to the assembly of the army on the 
Guarena, and were at Castrejon, under the orders 
of lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton, on the 
17th, not having been ordered to proceed further, 
in consequence of my knowledge that the enemy 
had not passed the Douro at Toro; and there was 
not time to call them in between the hour at 
which I received the intelligence of the whole of 
the enemy’s army being at La Nava, and daylight 
of the morning of the 18th. I therefore took 
measures to provide for their retreat and junction, 
by moving the 5th division to Tordesillas de la 
Orden, and major-general Le Marchant’s, major- 
general Alten’s and major-general Rock’s brigades 
of cavalry to Alaejos. 

N 4 


184 


Uppcntur: 

The enemy attacked the troops at Castrejon, at 
the dawn of day of the 18th, and Sir Stapleton 
Cotton maintained the post, without suffering any 
loss, till the cavalry had joined him. Nearly 
about the same time the enemy turned by Alaejos 
the left flank of our position at Castrejon. 

The troops retired in admirable order to Tor- 
desillas de la Orden, having the enemy’s whole 
army on their flank or in their rear; and thence 
to the Guarena, which river they passed under 
the same circumstances, and effected their junc¬ 
tion with the army. 

The Guarena, which runs into the Douro, is 
formed by four streams, which unite about a league 
below Canizai, and the enemy took a strong posi¬ 
tion on the heights on the right of that river, and 
I placed the 5th, 4th and light divisions on the 
opposite heights, and had directed the remainder 
of the army to cross the Upper Guarena at Val- 
lesa, in consequence of the appearance of the 
enemy’s intention to turn our right. 

Shortly after his arrival, however, the enemy 
crossed the Guarena at Carteillo, below the 
junction of the streams, and manifested an inten¬ 
tion to press upon our left, and to enter the valley 
of Canizai. Major-general Alten’s brigade of 
cavalry, supported by the 3d dragoons, were 
already engaged with the enemy’s cavalry, and 
had taken, among other prisoners, the French 


185 


^alamnitta; 1812. 

general Carrier; and I desired the honourable 
lieutenant-general Cole to attack, with major- 
general William Anson’s and brigadier-general 
Harvey’s brigades of infantry (the latter under 
the command of colonel Stubbs), the enemy’s 
infantry which were supporting their cavalry. He 
immediately attacked and defeated them with the 
27th and 40th regiments, which advanced to 
the charge with bayonets, colonel Stubbs’ Portu¬ 
guese brigade supporting, and the enemy gave 
way; many were killed and wounded; and major- 
general Alten’s brigade of cavalry having pursued 
the fugitives, two hundred and forty prisoners 
were taken. 

In these affairs lieutenant-general the hon. 
G. L. Cole, major general V. Alten, major-general 
William Anson, lieutenant-general Arentschildt 
of the 1st hussars, and Hervey of the 14th light 
dragoons, lieutenant-colonel Maclean of the 27th, 
and major Archdall of the 40th, lieutenant-colonel 
Anderson, commanding the 11th, and major de 
Azeredo, commanding the 23d Portuguese regi¬ 
ment, distinguished themselves. 

The enemy did not make any further attempt 
on our left; but having reinforced their troops on 
that side, and withdrawn those which had moved 
to their left, I brought back ours from Yallesa. 

On the 19th, in the afternoon, the enemy with¬ 
drew all the troops from their right, and marched 


186 appentrijr: 

to their left by Tarragona, apparently with an 
intention of turning our right. I crossed the 
Upper Guarena at Vallesa and El Olmo with the 
whole of the allied army in the course of that 
evening and night; and every preparation was 
made for the action, which was expected on the 
plain of Vallesa on the morning of the 20th. 

But shortly after daylight the enemy made 
another movement in several columns to his left, 
along the heights of the Guarena, which river he 
crossed below Canta la Piedra, and encamped last 
night at Babilafuente and Villamela; and the 
allied army made a correspondent movement to 
its right by Cantalpino, and encamped last night 
at Cabesa Vellosa, the 6th division and major- 
general Alten’s brigade of cavalry being upon the 
Tormes at Aldea Lengua. 

During these movements there have been occa¬ 
sional cannonades, but without loss on our side. 

I have this morning moved the left of the army 
to the Tormes, where the whole are now concen¬ 
trated ; and I observe that the enemy have also 
moved towards the same river, near Huerta. 

The enemy’s object hitherto has been to cut off 
my communication with Salamanca and Ciudad 
Rodrigo. 

The enemy abandoned and destroyed the fort 
of Mirabete, on the Tagus, on the 11th instant; 
and the garrison marched to Madrid, to form part 


&alamawa; 1812. 187 

of the army of the centre. They were reduced 
to five days provisions. 

I enclose a return of the killed and wounded on 
the 18th instant. 


Flores de Avila, July 24, 1812. 

% 

MY aide de-camp, captain Lord Clinton, will 
present to your lordship this account of a victory 
which the allied troops under my command 
gained in a general action fought near Salamanca 
on the evening of the 22d instant, which I have 
been under the necessity of delaying to send till 
now, having been engaged ever since the action 
in the pursuit of the enemy’s flying troops. 

In my letter of the 21st I informed your lord- 
ship that both armies were near the Tormes; and 
the enemy crossed that river with the greatest 
part of his troops in the afternoon, by the fords 
between Alba de Tormes and Huerta, and moved 
by their left towards the roads leading to Cuidad 
Rodrigo. 

The allied army, with the exception of the 3d 
division and general D’Urban’s cavalry, likewise 
crossed the Tormes in the evening, by the bridge 
of Salamanca and the fords in the neighbourhood; 
and I placed the troops in a position of which the 
right was upon one of the two heights called Dos 



188 


appcntw: 


Arapiles, and the left on the Tormes below the 
ford of Santa Martha. 

The 3d division and brigadier-general D’Urban’s 
cavalry were left at Cabrerizos, on the right of the 
Tormes, as the enemy had still a large corps on 
the heights above Babilafuente, on the same side 
of the river; and I considered it not improbable, 
that, finding our army prepared for them in the 
morning, on the left of the Tormes, they would 
alter their plan, and manoeuvre by the other bank. 

In the course of the night of the 21st I received 
intelligence, of the truth of which I could not 
doubt, that general Chauvel had arrived at Polios 
on the 20th, with the cavalry and horse artillery 
of the army of the north, to join marshal Mar- 
mont; and I was quite certain that th^e troops 
would join him on the 22d or 23d at the latest. 

During the night of the 21 st the enemy had 
taken possession of the village of Calvarasa de 
Ariba, and of the height near it called Nuestra 
Senora de la Pena, our cavalry being in posses¬ 
sion of Calvarosa de Abaxo ; and shortly after 
daylight detachments from both armies attempted 
to obtain possession of the more distant from our 
right of the two hills called Dos Arapiles. 

The enemy however succeeded, their detach¬ 
ment being the strongest, and having been con¬ 
cealed in the woods nearer the hill than we were, 
by which success they strengthened materially 


Salamanca; 1812. 189 

their own position, and had in their power increased 
means of annoying ours. 

In the morning, the light troops of the 7th divi¬ 
sion, and the 4th Ca9adores belonging to general 
Pack’s brigade, were engaged with the enemy on 
the height called Nuestra Senora de la Pena, on 
which height they maintained themselves with the 
enemy throughout the day. The possession, by 
the enemy, however, of the more distant of the 
Arapiles, rendered it necessary for me to extend 
the right of the army in potence to the heights 
behind the village of Arapiles, and to occupy that 
village with light infantry; and here I placed the 
4th division, under the command of the honourable 
lieutenant-general Cole; and although, from the 
variety of the enemy’s movements, it was difficult 
to form a satisfactory judgment of his intentions, 
I considered that, upon the whole, his objects 
were upon the left of the Tormes. I therefore 
ordered the honourable major-general Pakenham, 
who commanded the 3d division, in the absence 
of lieutenant-general Picton on account of ill 
health, to move across the Tormes with the troops 
under his command, including brigadier-general 
D’Urban’s cavalry, and to place himself behind 
Aldea Tejada, brigadier-general Bradford’s brigade 
of Portuguese infantry and Don Carlos D’Espana’s 
infantry having been moved up likewise to the 
neighbourhood of Las Torres, between the 3d and 
4th divisions. 


190 appetititjr: 

After a variety of evolutions and movements, 
the enemy appears to have determined upon his. 
plan about two in the afternoon ; and under cover 
of a very heavy cannonade, which however did us 
but very little damage, he extended his left, and 
moved forward his troops, apparently with an 
intention to embrace, by the position of his troops 
and by his fire, our post on that of the two Arapiles 
which we possessed, and from thence to attack 
and break our line; or, at all events, to render 
difficult any movement of ours to our right. 

The extension of his line to his left, however, 
and its advance upon our right, notwithstanding 
that his troops still occupied very strong ground, 
and his position was well defended by cannon, 
gave me an opportunity of attacking him, for 
which I had long been anxious. I reinforced our 
right with the 5th division, under lieutenant- 
general Leith, which I placed behind the village 
of Arapiles, on the right of the 4th division, and 
with the 6th and 7th divisions in reserve; and as 
soon as these troops had taken their stations, 
I ordered the honourable major-general Paken- 
ham to move forward with the 3d division, and 
general D’Urban’s cavalry, and two squadrons of 
the 14th light dragoons, under lieutenant-colonel 
Hervey, in four columns, to turn the enemy’s left 
on the heights, while brigadier-general Bradford’s 
brigade, the 5th division, under lieutenant-general 
Leith, the 4th division, under the honourable 


191 


Salamanca; 1812. 

lieutenant-general Cole, and the cavalry under 
lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton, should 
attack them in front, supported in reserve by the 
6th division, under major-general Clinton, the 7th 
division, under major-general Hope, and Don 
Carlos D’Espana’s Spanish division, and brigadier- 
general Pack should support the left of the 4th 
division, by attacking that of the Dos Arapiles, 
which the enemy held. The 1st and light divisions 
occupied the ground on the left, and were in reserve. 

The attack upon the enemy's left was made in 
the manner above described, and completely suc¬ 
ceeded. Major-general the honourable Edward 
Pakenham formed the third division across the 
enemy’s flank, and overthrew every thing opposed 
to him. These troops were supported in themiost 
gallant style by the Portuguese cavalry under 
brigadier-general D’Urban, and lieutenant-colonel 
Hervey’s squadrons of the 14th, who successfully 
defeated every attempt made by the enemy on the 
flank of the third division. 

Brigadier-general Bradford’s brigade, the 5th 
and 4th divisions, and the cavalry under lieutenant- 
general Sir Stapleton Cotton, attacked the enemy 
in front, and drove his troops before them, from 
one height to another, bringing forward their right, 
so as to acquire strength upon the enemy’s flank, 
in proportion to the advance. Brigadier-general 
Pack made a very gallant attack upon the Arapiles, 


192 appoint* : 

in which, however, he did not succeed, excepting 
in diverting the attention of the enemy’s corps 
placed upon it, from the troops under the com¬ 
mand of lieutenant-general Cole, in his advance. 

The cavalry under lieutenant-general Sir Staple- 
ton Cotton made a most gallant and successful 
charge against a body of the enemy’s infantry, 
which they overthrew and cut to pieces. In this 
charge major-general Le Marchant was killed at 
the head of his brigade; and I have to regret the 
loss of a most able officer. 

After the crest of the height was carried, one 
division of the enemy’s infantry made a stand 
against the 4th division, which, after a severe 
contest, was obliged to give way, in consequence 
of the enemy having thrown some troops on the 
left of the 4th division, after the failure of brigadier- 
general Pack’s attack upon the Arapiles, and the 
honourable lieutenant-general Cole having been 
wounded. 

Marshal Sir William Beresford, who happened 
to be on the spot, directed brigadier-general Spry’s 
brigade of the 5th division, w hich w T as in the second 
line, to change its front, and to bring its fire on 
the flank of the enemy’s division ; and, I am sorry 
to add, that while engaged in this service, li£ 
received a wound, which, I am apprehensive, will 
deprive me of the benefit of his counsel and 
assistance for some time. Nearly about the same 


193 


Salamanca; 1812. 

time lieutenant-general Leith received a wound, 
which unfortunately obliged him to quit the field. 
I ordered up the 6th division, under major-general 
Clinton, to relieve the 4th, and the battle was soon 
restored to its former success. 

The enemy’s right, however, reinforced by the 
troops which had fled from his left, and by those 
which had now retired from the Arapiles, still 
continued to resist; and I ordered the 1st and 
light divisions, and colonel Stubbs’s Portuguese 
brigade of the 4th division, which was re-formed, 
and major-general William Anson’s brigade, like¬ 
wise of the 4th division, to turn the right, while 
the 6th division, supported by the 3d and 5th, 
attacked the front. It was dark before this point 
was carried by the 6th division, and the enemy 
fled through the woods towards the Tormes. 
I pursued them with the 1st and light divisions, 
and major general William Anson’s brigade of the 
4th division, and some squadrons of cavalry under 
lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton, as long 
as we could find any of them together, directing 
our march upon Huerta and the fords of the 
Tormes, by which the enemy had passed on their 
advance ; but the darkness of the night was highly 
advantageous to the enemy, many of whom escaped 
under its cover, who must otherwise have been in 
our hands. 

I am sorry to report, that owing to this same 


o 


194 appenbtjf: 

cause, lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton 
was unfortunately wounded by one of our own 
sentries after he had halted. 

We renewed the pursuit at break of day in the 
morning with the same troops, and major general 
Bock’s and major general Anson’s brigades of 
cavalry, which joined during the night, and having 
crossed the Tormes, we came up with the enemy’s 
rear-guard of cavalry and infantry, near La Serna ; 
they were immediately attacked by the two 
brigades of dragoons; and the cavalry fled, leaving 
the infantry to their fate. I have never witnessed 
a more gallant charge than was made on the 
enemy’s infantry by the heavy brigade of the 
King’s German Legion, under major-general Bock, 
which was completely successful, and the whole 
body of infantry, consisting of three battalions of 
the enemy’s first division, were made prisoners. 

The pursuit was afterwards continued as far as 
Penaranda last night; and our troops are still 
loll owing the flying enemy. Their head-quarters 
w'ere in this town, not less than ten leagues from 
the field of battle, for a few hours last night; and 
they are now' considerably advanced on the road 
towards Valladolid by Arevalo. They were joined 
yesterday on their retreat by the cavalry and 
artillery of the army of the north, which have 
arrived at too late a period, it is to be hoped, to 
be of much use to them. 


195 


Salamanca; 1812, 

It is impossible to form a conjecture of the 
amount of the enemy’s loss in this action; but 
from all reports it is very considerable. We have 
taken from them eleven pieces of cannon *, several 
ammunition waggons, two eagles, and six colours ; 
and one general, three colonels, three lieutenant- 
colonels, 130 officers of inferior rank, and between 
six and seven thousand soldiers are prisoners f ; 
and our detachments are sending in more every 
moment. The number of dead on the field is 
very large. 

I am informed that marshal Marmont is badly 
wounded, and has lost one of his arms; and that 
four general officers have been killed, and several 
wounded. 

Such an advantage could not have been acquired 
without material loss on our side ; but it certainly 
has not been of a magnitude to distress the army, 
or to cripple its operations. 

I have great pleasure in reporting to your lord- 
ship, that, throughout this trying day, of which 


* The official returns only account for eleven pieces of 
cannon, but it is believed that twenty have fallen into our 
hands. 

t The prisoners are supposed to amount to seven thou¬ 
sand ; but it has not been possible to ascertain their numbers 
exactly, from the advance of the army immediately after the 
action was over. 



196 


appentnJ: 

I have related the events, I had every reason to 
be satisfied with the conduct of the general officers 
and troops. 

The relation which I have written of its events 
will give a general idea of the share which each 
individual had in them ; and I cannot say too 
much in praise of the conduct of every individual 
in his station. 

I am much indebted to marshal Sir William 
Beresford for his friendly counsel and assistance, 
both previous to and during the action ; to lieu¬ 
tenant-generals Sir Stapleton Cotton, Leith, and 
Cole, and major-generals Clinton and the honour¬ 
able Edw ard Pakenham, for the manner in which 
they led the divisions of cavalry and infantry 
under their command respectively; to major- 
general Hulse, commanding a brigade in the 6th 
division ; major-general G. Anson, commanding 
a brigade of cavalry; colonel Hinde, colonel 
the honourable William Ponsonby, commanding 
major-general Le Marchant’s brigade, after the 
fall of that officer; to major-general William 
Anson, commanding a brigade in the 4th division ; 
major-general Pringle, commanding a brigade in 
the 5th division, and the division after lieutenant- 
general Leith was w r ounded; brigadier-general 
Bradford ; brigadier-general Spry, colonel Stubbs, 
and brigadier-general Power, of the Portuguese 
service; likewise to lieutenant-colonel Campbell, 


Salamanca; 1812* 


197 


of the 94th, commanding a brigade in the 3d 
division ; lieutenant-colonel Williams, of the 60th 
foot; lieutenant-colonel Wallace, of the 88th, 
commanding a brigade in the 3d division; lieu¬ 
tenant-colonel Ellis, of the 23d, commanding 
general the honourable Edward Pakenham’s 
brigade in the 4th division, during his absence in 
the command of the 3d division; the honourable 
lieutenant-colonel Greville, of the 38th regiment, 
commanding major-general Hay’s brigade in the 
5th division, during his absence on leave; briga¬ 
dier-general Pack; brigadier-general the Conde 
de Rezendi, of the Portuguese service; colonel 
Douglas, of the 8th Portuguese regiment; lieu¬ 
tenant-colonel the Conde de Ficalho, of the same 
regiment; and lieutenant-colonel Bingham, of 
the 53d regiment; likewise to brigadier-general 
d’Urban, and lieutenant-colonel Hervey, of the 
14th light dragoons; colonel Lord Edward So¬ 
merset, commanding the 4th dragoons ; and lieu¬ 
tenant-colonel the honourable Frederick Pon- 
sonby, commanding the 12 th light dragoons. 

I must also mention lieutenant-colonel Wood¬ 
ford, commanding the light battalion of the brigade 
of guards, who, supported by two companies of 
the fusileers, under the command of captain 
Crowder, maintained the village of Arapiles 
against all the efforts of the enemy, previous to 
the attack upon their position by our troops. 

o 3 


198 apptitDiy: 

In a case in which the conduct of all has been 
conspicuously good, I regret that the necessary 
limits of a dispatch prevent me from drawing 
your lordship’s notice to the conduct of a larger 
number of individuals; but I can assuse your 
lordship, that there was no officer of corps 
engaged in this action who did not perform his 
duty by his sovereign and his country. 

The royal and German artillery, under lieu- 
tenant-colonel Framingham, distinguished them¬ 
selves by the accuracy of their fire, wherever it 
was possible to use them ; and they advanced to 
the attack of the enemy’s position with the same 
gallantry as the other troops. 

I am particularly indebted to lieutenant-colonel 
De Lancy, the deputy quartermaster-general, the 
head of the department present in the absence of 
the quartermaster-general, and to the officers 
of that department, and of the staff corps, for the 
assistance I received from them, particularly the 
honourable lieutenant-colonel Dundas, and lieu¬ 
tenant-colonel Sturgeon of the latter, and major 
Scovell of the former; and to lieutenant-colonel 
Waters, at present at the head of the adjutant- 
general’s department at head-quarters, and to the 
officers of that department, as well at head¬ 
quarters as with the several divisions of the army; 
and lieutenant-colonel Lord Fitzroy Somerset, 
and the officers of my personal staff. Among the 


Salamanca; 1S12* 


199 


latter I particularly request your lordship to draw 
the attention of his royal highness the Prince 
Regent to his serene highness the hereditary 
Prince of Orange, whose conduct in the field, as 
well as upon every other occasion, entitles him to 
my highest commendation, and has acquired for 
him the respect and regard of the whole army. 

I have had every reason to be satisfied with 
the conduct of the mariscal del campo Don 
Carlos d’Espagna, and of brigadier Don Julian 
Sanchez, and with that of the troops under their 
command respectively; and with that of the 
mariscal del campo Don Miguel Alava, and of 
brigadier Don Joseph O’Lawlor, employed with 
this army by the Spanish government, from whom, 
and from the Spanish authorities and people in 
general, I received every assistance I could 
expect. 

It is but justice likewise to draw your lordship’s 
attention, upon this occasion, to the merits of the 
officers of the civil departments of the army. 
Notwithstanding the increased distance of our 
operations from our magazines, and that the 
country is completely exhausted, we have hitherto 
wanted nothing, owing to the diligence and atten¬ 
tion of commissary-general, Mr. Bisset, and the 
officers of the department under his direction. 

I have likewise to mention that by the attention 
and ability of doctor Mac Gregor, and of the 

o 4 


200 appends: 

officers of the department under his charge, our 
wounded, as well as those of the enemy left in 
' our hands, have been well taken care of; and 
I hope that many of these valuable men will be 
saved to the service. 

Captain Lord Clinton will have the honour of 
laying at the feet of his royal highness the Prince 
Regent the eagles and colours taken from the 
enemy in this action. 

I enclose a return of the killed and wounded. 


Oimedo, July 28, 1812. 

THE army have continued their march in pur¬ 
suit of the enemy since I addressed you on the 
24th instant, and we have continued to take many 
prisoners. A part of the enemy’s army crossed 
the Douro yesterday near Puente de Douro, and 
the remainder, their left wing, were in march 
towards the bridge of Tudela this morning at nine 
o’clock, when I last heard from our advanced posts. 

The main body of the allied army is this day 
on the Adaja and Zapardiel, rivers in this neigh¬ 
bourhood; the light cavalry being in front, in 
pursuit of the enemy. 

It appears that Joseph Buonaparte left Madrid 
on the 21st, with the army of the centre, supposed 
to consist of from ten to twelve thousand infantry 



201 


Salamanca; 1812. 

and from two to three thousand cavalry, and he 
directed his march by the Escoriel, upon Alba 
de Tonnes. He arrived at Blasco Sancho, be¬ 
tween Avila and Arevalo, on the 25th, where he 
heard of the defeat of marshal Marmont, and 
he retired in the evening, and between that time 
and the evening of the 26th, he marched through 
Villa Castin to Espinar. A non-commissioned 
officer’s patrole of the 14th light dragoons and 
the 1st hussars, from Arevalo, took in Blasco 
Sancho on the evening of the 25th, shortly after 
Joseph Buonaparte had left the place, two officers 
and twenty-seven men of his own cavalry, who 
had been left there to follow his rear-guard. 

I have reason to believe that Joseph Buona¬ 
parte had no regular account of the action of the 
22d, till he passed the Puerte de Guadarrama 
yesterday, but he then returned, and was directing 
his march upon Segovia. I have not yet heard 
how far he had advanced. All accounts concur 
with regard to the great loss sustained by the 
army of Portugal. 

By accounts from lieutenant-general Sir Row¬ 
land Hill to the 24th instant, it appears that the 
enemy had in some degree reinforced the troops 
in Estramadura. The lieutenant-general had 
removed to Zafra. 

It is reported, that general Ballasteros had 
marched on another expedition towards Malaga, 


202 3ppentn>: 

and that he was opposed by a division of the army 
of the south, under general Labal. 

I have not received detailed accounts of com¬ 
modore Sir Home Popham’s operations on the 
coast since the capture of Sequeitio, but I under¬ 
stand that he has taken Castro Urdiales. 


Abstract of Killed, Wounded and Missing, of the 
Allied Army, on the 18 th July 1812. 

Killed. Wounded. Missing. 
British - - 61 - - 297 - - 27 

Portuguese -34-- 96 - -27 

Total - 95 393 54 


July 22 d, 1812. 



Killed. 

Wounded. 

Missin 

British - 

- 388 

- 2,714 - 

- 74 

Portuguese 

- 304 

- 1,552 - 

- 182 

Spanish - 

2 

4 - 

- — 

Total 

~ 694 

4,270 

256 


July 23 d, 1812. 

Killed, 51; Wounded, 60 ; Missing, 6. 





















JEltttoria; 1813, 


203 


Return of Ordnance , fyc. taken at the Castle of 
Salamanca , Jidy 22, 1812. 

Six French eight-pounders, 1 French four- 
pounder, 3 Spanish four-pounders, 1 French 
six-inch howitzer_Total, 11. 

Five tumbrils with ammunition. 

The exact quantity of ammunition carried on 
each tumbril not yet ascertained. 

(signed) Hoylet Framingham , 

Lieut.-col. Royal Artillery. 


TOttotta* 


London Gazette Extraordinary, 3 July 1813. 


Letter from the Marquess of Wellington. 

Salvatierra, June 22, 1813, and 
My Lord, Irunzun, June 24, 1813. 

THE enemy’s army, commanded by Joseph 
Bonaparte, having marshal Jourdan as the major- 
general of the army, took up a position on the 
night of the 19th instant, in front of Vittoria, the 
left of which rested upon the heights which end 
at Puebla de Arlanzon, and extended from thence 
across the valley of Zadora, in front of the village 
of Aruiiez. They occupied with the right of the 






204 appentu?: 

centre a height which commanded the valley of 
Zadora, and the right of their army w T as stationed 
near Vittoria, and was destined to defend the 
passages of the river Zadora, in the neighbourhood 
of that city. They had a reserve, in rear of their 
left, at the village of Gomecha. 

The nature of the country through which the 
army had passed since it had reached the Ebro, 
had necessarily extended our columns, and we 
halted on the 20th in order to close them up, and 
moved the left to Margina, where it was most 
likely it would be necessary : I reconnoitered the 
enemy’s position on that day, with a view to the 
attack to be made on the following morning, if 
they should still remain in it. 

We accordingly attacked the enemy yesterday ? 
and I am happy to inform your lordship that the 
allied army under my command gained a com¬ 
plete victory; having driven them from all their 
positions, having taken from them one hundred 
and fifty-one pieces of cannon, four hundred and 
fifteen waggons of ammunition, all their baggage, 
provisions, cattle, treasure, &c. and a considerable 
number of prisoners. 

The operations of the day commenced by lieu¬ 
tenant-general Sir Rowland Hill obtaining pos¬ 
session of the heights of La Puebla, on which the 
enemy’s left rested, which heights they had not 
occupied in great strength. 


tElitrotta; 1813* 


205 


He detached on this service one brigade of the 
Spanish division under general Morillo ; the other 
brigade being employed in keeping the commu¬ 
nication between his main body, on the high 
road from Miranda to Vittoria, and the troops 
detached to the heights. The enemy, however, 
soon discovered the importance of the heights, 
and reinforced their troops there to such an 
extent, as that lieutenant-general Sir Rowland 
Hill was obliged to detach, first, the 71st regi¬ 
ment, and the light infantry battalion of Major- 
general Walker’s brigade, under the command of 
the hon. lieutenant-colonel Cadogan, and suc¬ 
cessively other troops to the same point, and the 
allies not only gained, but maintained possession 
of these important heights throughout their 
operations, notwithstanding all the efforts of the 
enemy to retake them. The contest here, how¬ 
ever, was very severe, and the loss sustained con¬ 
siderable. General Murillo was wounded, but 
remained in the field ; and I am concerned to 
have to report, that the hon. lieutenant-colonel 
Cadogan has died of a wound which he received. 
In him His Majesty has lost an officer of great 
zeal and tried gallantry, who had already acquired 
the respect and regard of the whole profession, 
and of whom it might be expected, that if he had 
lived he would have rendered the most important 
services to his country. 


206 


0ppentiijr: 

Under cover of the possession of these heights, 
Sir Rowland Hill successively passed the Zadora, 
at la Puebla, and the defile formed by the heights 
and the river Zadora, and attacked and gained 
possession of the village of Sabijana de Alava, in 
front of the enemy’s line, which the enemy made 
repeated attempts to regain. 

The difficult nature of the country prevented 
the communication between our different columns 
moving to the attack from their stations on the 
river Bayas at as early an hour as I had expected, 
and it was late before I knew that the column 
composed of the 3d and 7th divisions, under the 
command of the Earl of Dalhousie, had arrived 
at the station appointed for them. 

The fourth and light divisions, however, passed 
the Zadora immediately after Sir Rowland Hill 
had possession of Sabijana de Alava, the former 
at the bridge of Nanclaus, and the latter at the 
bridge of Tres Puentes ; and almost as soon as 
these had crossed, the column under the Earl of 
Dalhousie arrived at Mendonza, and the third 
division, under lieutenant-general Sir Thomas 
Picton, crossed at the bridge higher up, followed 
by the 7th division, under the Earl of Dalhousie. 

These four divisions, forming the centre of the 
army, were destined to attack the heights on 
which the right of the enemy’s centre was placed, 
while lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill should 


flUittoria; 1813* 


207 


move forward from Sabijana de Alava to attack 
the left. The enemy, however, having weakened 
his line to strengthen his detachment in the hills, 
abandoned his position in the valley as soon as 
he saw our disposition to attack it, and com¬ 
menced his retreat in good order towards Vittoria. 

Our troops continued to advance in admirable 
order, notwithstanding the difficulty of the ground. 

In the mean time, lieutenant-general Sir Tho¬ 
mas Graham, who commanded the left of the 
army, consisting of the 1st and 5th divisions, and 
general Pack’s and Bradford’s brigades of in¬ 
fantry, and general Bock’s and Anson’s brigades 
of cavalry, and who had been moved on the 20th 
to Margina, moved forward from thence on Vit¬ 
toria, by the high road from that town to Bilboa. 
He had besides with him the Spanish division 
under colonel Longa and general Giron, who had 
been detached to the left under a different view 
of the state of affairs, and had afterwards been 
recalled, and had arrived on the 20th at Orduna, 
marched that morning from thence, so as to be in 
the field in readiness to support lieutenant-general 
Sir T. Graham, if his support had been required. 

The enemy had a division of infantry and some 
cavalry advanced on the great road from Vittoria 
to Bilboa, resting their right on some strong 
heights covering the village of Gamarra Maior. 
Both Gamarra and Abechuco were strongly occu- 


208 gppentotj?: 

pied, as tetes-de-pont to the bridges over the 
Zadora at these places. Brigadier-general Pack, 
with his Portuguese brigade, and colonel Longa, 
with the Spanish division, were directed to turn 
and gain the heights, supported by major-general 
Anson’s brigade of light dragoons, and the 5th 
division of infantry, under the command of major- 
general Oswald, who was desired to take the 
command of all these troops. 

Lieutenant-general Sir T. Graham reports, that 
in the execution of this service, the Portuguese 
and Spanish troops behaved admirably. The 4th 
and 8th ca9adoresparticularly distinguished them¬ 
selves. Colonel Longa being on the left, took 
possession of Gamarra Menor. 

As soon as the heights were in our possession, 
the village of Gamarra Maior was most gallantly 
stormed and carried by brigadier-general Robin¬ 
son’s brigade of the 5th division, which advanced 
in columns of battalions, under a very heavy fire 
of artillery and musquetry, without firing a shot, 
assisted by two guns of major Lawson’s brigade 
of artillery. The enemy suffered severely and lost 
three pieces of cannon. 

The lieutenant-general then proceeded to at¬ 
tack the village of Abechuco, with the 1st divi¬ 
sion, by forming a strong battery against it, con¬ 
sisting of captain Dubourdieu’s brigade, and 
captain Ramsay’s troop of horse-artillery, and, 


Wiittovia; 1813* 209 

under cover of this fire, colonel Halkett’s brigade 
advanced to the attack of the village, which was 
carried, the light battalion having charged and 
taken three guns and a howitzer on the bridge: 
this attack was supported by general Bradford’s 
brigade of Portuguese infantry. 

During the operation at Abechuco, the enemy 
made the greatest efforts to repossess themselves 
of the village of Gamarro Maior, which were gal¬ 
lantly repulsed by the troops of the 5th division, 
under the command of major-general Oswald. 
The enemy had, however, on the heights on the 
left of the Zadora, two divisions of infantry in 
reserve, and it was impossible to cross by the 
bridges, till the troops which had moved upon the 
enemy’s centre and left had driven them through 
Vittoria. 

The whole then co-operated in the pursuit, 
which was continued by all till after it was dark. 

The movement of the troops under lieutenant- 
general Sir Thomas Graham, and their possession 
of Gamarra and Abechuco, intercepted the ene¬ 
my’s retreat by the high road to France. They 
were then obliged to turn to the road towards 
Pamplona; but they were unable to hold any 
position for a sufficient length of time to allow 
their baggage and artillery to be drawn off. The 
whole, therefore, of the latter, which had not 
already been taken by the troops in their attack 

p 


210 


of the successive positions taken up by the 
enemy in their retreat from their first position on 
Aruney and on the Zadora, and all their ammuni¬ 
tion and baggage, and every thing they had, were 
taken, close to Vittoria. I have reason to believe 
that the enemy carried off with them one gun and 
one howitzer only. 

The army under Joseph Buonaparte consisted 
of the whole of the armies of the south and of 
the centre, and of four divisions, and all the ca¬ 
valry, of the army of Portugal, and some troops of 
the army of the north. General Foix’s division 
of the army of Portugal was in the neighbourhood 
of Bilboa, and general Clausel, who commands 
the army of the north, was near Logrono with one 
division of the army of Portugal, commanded by 
general Topin, and general Vandermasens’s divi¬ 
sion of the army of the north. 

The 6th division of the allied army, under 
major-general the honourable Edward Pakenham, 
was likewise absent, having been detained at 
Medina del Pomar for three days, to cover the 
march of our magazines and stores. 

I cannot extol too highly the good conduct of 
all the general officers, officers, and soldiers of the 
army in this action. Lieutenant-general Sir 
Rowland Hill speaks highly of the conduct of 
general Murillo, and the Spanish troops under his 
command, and of that of lieutenant-general the 


Co 


Catena; 1813* 211 

honourable W. Stewart, and the Conde d’Ama- 
rante, who commanded divisions of’ infantry under 
his directions. He likewise mentions the conduct 
of the honourable lieutenant-colonel 0 ‘Callagan, 
who maintained the village of Sabijana de Alava 
against all the efforts of the enemy to regain 
possession of it, and that of lieutenant-colonel 
Rooke, of the adjutant general’s department, and 
lieutenant-colonel the honourable Alexander 
Abercromby, of the quartermaster-general’s 
department. 

It was impossible for the movements of any 
troops to be conducted with more spirit and re¬ 
gularity than those of the respective divisions of 
lieutenant-general the earl of Dalhousie, Sir 
Thomas Picton, Sir Lowry Cole, and major- 
general Charles Baron Alten. These troops 
advanced in echelons of regiments, in two, and 
occasionally three lines; and the Portuguese 
troops in the 3d and 4th divisions, under the 
command of brigadier-general Power and colonel 
Stubbs, led the march with a steadiness and gal¬ 
lantry never surpassed on any occasion. 

Major-general the honourable C. Colville’s 
brigade of the 3d division w r as seriously attacked 
in its advance, by a very superior force, well 
formed, which it drove in, supported by general 
Inglis’s brigade of the 7th division, commanded 
by colonel Grant, of the 82d. These officers, and 


21 2 appcntnjr: 

the troops under their command, distinguished 
themselves. 

Major-general Vandeleur’s brigade of the light 
division was, during the advance upon Vittoria, 
detached to the support of the 7th division, and 
lieutenant-general the earl of Dalhousie has re¬ 
ported most favourably of its conduct. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Graham par¬ 
ticularly reports his sense of the assistance he 
received from colonel Delaney, deputy quarter¬ 
master-general, and from lieutenant-colonel Bou- 
verie of the adjutant-general’s department, and 
from the officers of his personal staff, and from 
the honourable lieutenant-colonel Upton, assistant 
quartermaster general, and major Hope, assistant 
adjutant, with the 1st division : and major-general 
Oswald reports the same of lieutenant colonel 
Berkeley, of the adjutant-general’s department, 
and lieutenant-colonel Gomm, of the quarter¬ 
master-general’s department. 

I am particularly indebted to lieutenant gene¬ 
ral Sir Thomas Graham, and lieutenant-general 
Sir Rowland Hill, for the manner in which they 
have respectively conducted the service entrusted 
to them since the commencement of the opera¬ 
tions, which have ended in the battle of the 21st, 
and for their conduct in that battle ; as likewise to 
marshal Sir William Beresford, for the friendly 
advice and assistance which I have received 


OTittoria; 1813, 213 

from him upon all occasions during tile late 
operations. 

I must not omit to mention, likewise, the con¬ 
duct of general Giron, who commands the Galli- 
cian army, who made a forced march from Orduna, 
and was actually on the ground in readiness to 
support lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Graham. 

I have frequently been indebted, and have had 
occasion to call the attention of your lordship to 
the conduct of the quartermaster-general major- 
general George Murray, who, in the late opera¬ 
tions, and in the battle of the 21st instant, has 
again given me the greatest assistance. I am 
likewise indebted much to Lord Aylmer, the 
deputy adjutant-general, and to the officers of the 
adjutant and quartermaster-general’s departments 
respectively, and to lieutenant-colonel Lord 
Fitzroy Somerset, lieutenant-colonel Campbell, 
and the officers of my personal staff, and to lieute¬ 
nant-colonel Sir Richard Fletcher, and the officers 
of the royal engineers. 

Colonel his serene highness the hereditary 
Prince of Orange was in the field as my aide-de- 
camp, and conducted himself with his usual gal¬ 
lantry and intelligence. 

Mareschal del campo Don Luis Wimpfen, and 
the inspector-general Don Thomas O’Donoju, and 
the officers of the staff of the Spanish army, have 
invariable rendered me every assistance in their 

p 3 


214 appcnfct*: 

power in the course of these operations; and 
I avail myself of this opportunity of expressing my 
satisfaction at their conduct, as likewise with that 
of mareschal del campo Don Miguel de Alava, 
and of brigadier-general Don Joseph O’Lawlor, 
who have been so long and so usefully employed 
with me. 

The artillery was most judiciously placed by 
lieutenant-colonel Dickson, and was well served, 
and the army is particularly indebted to that 
corps. 

The nature of the ground did not allow of the 
cavalry being generally engaged, but the general 
officers, commanding the several brigades, kept 
the troops under their command respectively close 
to the infantry to support them, and they were 
most active in the pursuit of the enemy after they 
had been driven through Yittoria. 

I send this dispatch by my aide-de-camp cap¬ 
tain Fremantle, whom I beg leave to recommend 
to your lordship’s protection : he will have the 
honour of laying at the feet of his royal high¬ 
ness the Prince Regent, the colours of the 4th 
battalion of the 100th regiment, and marshal 
Jourdan’s baton of a marshal of France, taken 
by the 87th regiment. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

0 

(signed) Wellington. 


‘Sittorta; 1813* 


215 


I enclose a return of the killed and wounded in 
the late operations, and a return of the ordnance 
and ammunition captured in the action of the 21st 
instant. 


Abstract of Loss from June 12 th to 21 st. 

BRITISH. 

2 Serjeants, 9 rank and file, 9 horses, killed; 
1 captain, 3 lieutenants, 2 serjeants, 62 rank and 
file, 13 horses, wounded. 

PORTUGUESE. 

3 rank and file killed ; 1 major, 1 captain, 3 
serjeants, 16 rank and file, wounded. 


On the 21 st. 

British loss:—1 lieutenant-colonel, 6 captains, 
10 lieutenants, 4 ensigns, 1 staff, 15 serjeants, 
4 drummers, 460 rank and file, 92 horses, killed; 
1 general staff, 7 lieutenant-colonels, 5 majors, 
40 captains, 87 lieutenants, 22 ensigns, 5 staff, 
123 serjeants, 13 drummers, 2,504 rank and file, 
68 horses, wounded. 

Portuguese loss :—3 captains, 1 lieutenant, 
3 ensigns, 4 serjeants, 1 drummer, 138 rank and 
file, 1 horse, killed; 1 lieutenant-colonel, 4 ma¬ 
jors, 16 captains, 10 lieutenants, 19 ensigns, 2 staff, 

p 4 




216 appcnDtr: 

35 serjeants, l drummer, 811 rank and file, 
wounded, 

Spanish loss:—1 captain, 3 lieutenants, 85 rank 
and file, killed; 1 general staff, 1 lieutenant- 
colonel, 3 captains, 6 lieutenants, 453 rank and 
file, wounded. 

Grand Total:—1 lieutenant-colonel, 10 cap¬ 
tains, 14 lieutenants, 7 ensigns, 1 staff, 19 ser¬ 
jeants, 5 drummers, 683 rank and file, 93 horses, 
killed ; 2 general staff, 9 lieutenant-colonels, 9 
majors, 59 captains, 103 lieutenants, 41 ensigns, 
7 staff, 158 serjeants, 14 drummers, 3,768 rank 
and file, 68 horses, wounded. 

N. B .—1 serjeant, 2 drummers, 263 rank and 
file, have been returned missing by the several 
corps of the army, British and Portuguese ; it is 
supposed that the greater number of them lost 
their regiments in the course of the night, and 
that very few have fallen into the hands of the 
enemy. 

(signed) Aylmer, 

Dep. Adj.-gen. 


Pyrenees; 1813, 



Pyrenees, 


London Gazette Extraordinary, 16 August 1813. 

Letters from Field-marshal the Marquess of 
Wellington and Lieutenant-general Sir Rowland 


Hill 


My Lord, 


San Esteven, Aug. 1, 1813. 


TWO practicable breaches having been effected 
at San Sebastian on the 24th of July, orders were 
given that they should be attacked on the morning 
of the 25th. I am concerned to have to report, 
that this attempt to obtain possession of the place 
failed, and that our loss was very considerable. 

Marshal Soult had been appointed lieutenant 
de l’Empereur, and commander-in-chief of the 
French armies in Spain and the southern pro¬ 
vinces of France, by a decret imperial, on the 
1st of July, and he joined and took the command 
of the army on the 13th of July, which having 
been joined nearly about the same time by the 
corps which had been in Spain under the com¬ 
mand of general Clauzel, and by other rein¬ 
forcements, was called the army of Spain, and 
re-formed into nine divisions of infantry, forming 
the right, centre, and left, under the command 
of general Reille, Compte d’Erlon, and general 
Clauzel, as lieutenant-generals, and a reserve 




218 


appenfcu*: 

under general Villatte ; and two divisions of 
dragoons and one oflight cavalry, the two former 
under the command of generals Treillard and 
Tilly, and the latter under the command of general 
Pierre Soult. There was besides allotted to the 
army a large proportion of artillery, and a con¬ 
siderable number of guns had already joined. 

The allied army was posted, as I have already 
informed your lordship, in the passes of the moun¬ 
tains. Major-general Byng’s brigade of British 
infantry, and general Morillo’s division of Spanish 
infantry, were on the right in the pass of Ronces- 
valles. Lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole was 
posted at Viscarret, to support those troops; and 
lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, with the 
third division, at Olaque, in reserve. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill occupied 
the valley of Bastan with the remainder of the 
second division, and the Portuguese division, 
under the Conde de Amarante, detaching general 
Campbell’s Portuguese brigade to Los Alduides, 
within the French territory. The light and se¬ 
venth divisions occupied the heights of Santa 
Barbara, and the town of Vera, and the Puerto 
de Echalar, and kept the communication with the 
valley of Bastan ; and the sixth division was in 
reserve at San Estevan. General Longa’s divi¬ 
sion kept the communication between the troops 
at Vera and those under lieutenant-general Sir 


piutmeg; 1813. 219 

Thomas Graham and mariscal del campo Giron, 
on the great road. 

The Conde del Abisbal blockaded Pampeluna. 

On the 24th marshal Soult collected the right 
and left wings of his army, with one division of 
his centre, and two divisions of cavalry, at St- 
Jean de Pied de Port, and on the 25th attacked, 
with between thirty and forty thousand men, ge¬ 
neral Byng’s post at Roncesvalles. Lieutenant- 
general Sir Lowry Cole moved up to his support 
with the fourth division, and these officers were 
enabled to maintain their post throughout the 
day. But the enemy turned it in the afternoon ; 
and lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole considered 
it to be necessary to withdraw in the night, and 
he marched to the neighbourhood of Zubiri. 

In the actions which took place on this day, the 
20th regiment distinguished themselves. 

Two divisions of the centre of the enemy's 
army attacked Sir Rowland Hill s position in the 
Puerto de Maya, at the head of the valley of 
Bastan, in the afternoon of the same day. The 
brunt of the action fell upon major-general 
Pringle’s and major-general Walker’s brigades in 
the second division, under the command of lieu¬ 
tenant-general the honourable William Stewart. 
These troops were at first obliged to give way; 
but having been supported by major-general 
Barnes’s brigade of the 7th division, they regained 
that part of their post which was the key of the 


220 


appcntujr: 

whole, and would have enabled them to re-assume 
it if circumstances had permitted it. But Sir 
Rowland Hill having been apprized of the neces¬ 
sity that Sir Lowry Cole should retire, deemed 
it expedient to withdraw his troops likewise to 
Irurita; and the enemy did not advance on the 
following day beyond the Puerto de Maya. 

Notwithstanding the enemy’s superiority of 
numbers, they acquired but little advantage over 
these brave troops during the seven hours they 
were engaged. All the regiments charged with 
the bayonet. The conduct of the 82d regiment, 
which moved up with major-general Barnes’s 
brigade, is particularly reported. 

Lieutenant-general the hon. William Stewart 
was slightly wounded. 

I w r as not apprized of these events till late in 
the night of the 25th and 26th; and 1 adopted 
immediate measures to concentrate the army to 
the right, still providing for the siege of San 
Sebastian, and for the blockade of Pamplona. 

This would have been effected early on the 
27th, only that lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole 
and lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton con¬ 
curred in thinking their post at Zubiri not tenable 
for the time during which it would have been 
necessary to w r ait in it. They therefore retired 
early on the 27th, and took up a position to cover 
the blockade of Pamplona, having the right, con¬ 
sisting of the 3d division, in front of Huarte, and 


pprnteeg; 1813* 


221 


extending to the hills beyond Olaz, and the left, 
consisting of the 4th division, major-general 
Byng’s, and brigadier-general Campbell’s Portu¬ 
guese brigade, on the heights in front of Villalba, 
having their left at a chapel behind Sorausen, on 
the high road from Ostiz to Pamplona, and their 
right resting upon a height which defended the 
high road from Zubiri and Roncesvalles. General 
Morillo’s division of Spanish infantry, and that 
part of the Conde del Abisbal’s corps not engaged 
in the blockade, were in reserve. From the latter 
the regiment of Travai, and that of El Principe, 
were detached to occupy part of the hill on the 
right of the 4th division, by which the road from 
Zubiri was defended. 

The British cavalry under lieutenant-general 
Sir Stapleton Cotton were placed near Huarte on 
the right, being the only ground on which it was 
possible to use the cavalry. 

The river Lanz runs in the valley which was 
on the left of the allied, and on the right of the 
French army, along the road to Ostiz. Beyond 
this river there is another range of mountains 
connected with Ligasso and Marcalain, by which 
places it was now necessary to communicate with 
the rest of the army. 

I joined the 3d and 4th divisions just as they 
were taking up their ground on the 27th, and 
shortly afterwards the enemy formed their army 


222 ^ppenDt*: 

on a mountain, the front of which extends from 
the high road to Ostiz to the high road to Zubiri, 
and they placed one division on their left of that 
road on a height, and in some villages in front of 
the 3d division. They had here also a large body 
of cavalry. 

In a short time after they had taken up their 
ground, the enemy attacked the hill on the right 
of the 4th division, which was then occupied by 
one battalion of the 4th Portuguese regiment, 
and by the Spanish regiment of Pravia. 

These troops defended their ground, and drove 
the enemy from it with the bayonet. Seeing the 
importance of this hill to our position, I reinforced 
it with the 40th regiment; and this regiment, 
with the Spanish regiments of El Principe and 
Pravia, held it for some time, notwithstanding the 
repeated efforts of the enemy during the 27 th 
and 28th to obtain possession of it. 

Nearly at the same time that the enemy at¬ 
tacked this height on the 27th, they took posses¬ 
sion of the village of Sorausen on the road to 
Ostiz, by which they acquired the communication 
by that road, and they kept up a fire of musketry 
along the line till it was dark. 

We were joined on the morning of the 28th by 
the 6th division of infantry, and I directed that 
the heights should be occupied on the left of the 
valley of the Lanz; and that the 6th division 


223 


jDprnteeg; 1813* 

should form across the valley in rear of the left of 
the 4th division, resting their right on Oricain, 
and their left upon the heights above mentioned. 

The (ith division had scarcely taken their posi¬ 
tion when they were attacked by a very large 
force of the enemy, which had been assembled 
in the village of Sorausen. 

Their front was, however, so well defended by 
the fire of their own light troops from the heights 
on their left, and by the fire from the heights 
occupied by the 4th division and brigadier-general 
Campbell’s Portuguese brigade, that the enemy 
were soon driven back with immense loss, from 
a fire on their front, both flanks and rear. 

In order to extricate their troops from the diffi¬ 
culty in which they found themselves, in their 
situation in the valley of the Lanz, the enemy 
now attacked the height on which the left of 
the fourth division stood, which was occupied 
by the 7th ca^adores, of which they obtained a 
momentary possession. They were attacked, how¬ 
ever, again by the 7th ca^adores, supported by 
major-general Ross, at the head of his brigade of 
the fourth division, and were driven down with 
great loss. 

The battle now became general along the 
whole front of the heights occupied by the fourth 
division, and in every part in our favour, except¬ 
ing where one battalion of the 10th Portuguese 


224 append*: 

regiment of major-general Campbell’s brigade 
was posted. This battalion having been over¬ 
powered, and having been obliged to give way, 
immediately on the right of major-general Ross’s 
brigade, the enemy established themselves on our 
line, and major-general Ross was obliged to with¬ 
draw from his post. 

I, however, ordered the 27th and 48th regiments 

to charge, first that body of the enemy which had 

first established themselves on the height, and 

next those on the left. Both attacks succeeded, 

and the enemy were driven down with immense 
%> 

loss ; and the sixth division having moved forward 
at the same time to a situation in the valley, 
nearer to the left of the 4th, the attack upon this 
front ceased entirely, and was continued but 
faintly on other points of our line. 

In the course of this contest the gallant fourth 
division, which has so frequently been distin¬ 
guished in this army, surpassed their former good 
conduct. Every regiment charged with the 
bayonet; and the 40th, the 7th, 20th, and 23d, 
four different times. Their officers set them the 
example, and major-general Ross had two horses 
shot under him. The Portuguese troops likewise 
behaved admirably; and I had every reason to 
be satisfied with the conduct of the Spanish regi¬ 
ments del Principe and Pravia. 

I had ordered lieutenant-general Sir Rowland 


225 


IBprenee#; 1813. 

Hill to march by Lanz upon Lizasso, as soon as 
I found that lieutenant-generals Sir Thomas 
Picton and Sir Lowry Cole had moved from 
Zubiri; and lieutenant-general the earl of Dal- 
housie from San Esteven to the same place, where 
both arrived on the 28th, and the seventh division 
came to Marcalain. 

The enemy’s force which had been in front of 
Sir Rowland Hill, followed his march, and arrived 
at Ostiz on the 29th. The enemy thus reinforced, 
and occupying a position in the mountains which 
appeared little liable to attack, and finding that 
they could make no impression on our front, de¬ 
termined to endeavour to turn our left, by an 
attack on Sir Rowland Hill’s corps. 

They reinforced with one division the troops 
which had been already opposed to him, still oc¬ 
cupying the same points in the mountain on which 
was formed their principal force, but they drew 
in to their left the troops which occupied the 
heights opposite the third division, and they had, 
during the night of the 29th and 30th, occupied 
in strength the crest of the mountain on our left 
of the Lanz, opposite to the sixth and seventh 
divisions ; thus connecting their right in their po¬ 
sition with the divisions detached to attack lieute¬ 
nant-general Sir Rowland Hill. 

I, however, determined to attack their position, 
and ordered lieutenant-general the Earl of Dal- 

Q 


226 


appentnjr: 

• 

housie to possess himself of the top of the moun¬ 
tain in his front, by which the enemy’s right 
would be turned, and lieutenant-general Sir 
Thomas Picton to cross the heights on which the 
enemy’s left had stood, and to turn their left by 
the road to Roncesvalles. All the arrangements 
were made to attack the front of the enemy’s 
position, as soon as the effect of these movements 
on their flanks should begin to appear. Major- 
general the honourable Edward Pakenham, whom 
I had sent to take the command of the 6th divi¬ 
sion, major-general Pack having been wounded, 
turned the village of Sorauzen, as soon as the 
Earl of Dalhousie had driven the enemy from 
the mountain, by which that flank was de¬ 
fended ; and the 6th division, and major-gene¬ 
ral Byng’s brigade, which had relieved the 4th 
division on the left of our position on the 
road to Ostiz, instantly attacked and carried that 
village. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole likewise 
attacked the front of the enemy’s main position 
with the 7th ca5adores, supported by the 11th 
Portuguese regiment, the 40th, and the battalion 
under colonel Bingham, consisting of the Queen’s 
and 53d regiment. All these operations obliged 
the enemy to abandon a position which is one of 
the strongest and most difficult of access that 
I have yet seen occupied by troops. 


Pyrenees; 1813. 227 

In their retreat from this position the enemy 
lost a great number of prisoners. 

I cannot sufficiently applaud the conduct of all 
the general officers, officers and troops throughout 
these operations. The attack made by lieutenant- 
general the Earl of Dalhousie was admirably 
conducted by his lordship, and executed by 
major-general Inglis and the troops composing 
his brigade; and that by major-general the 
honourable Edward Pakenham and major-general 
Byng, and that by lieutenant-general Sir Lowry 
Cole, and the movement made by Sir Thomas 
Picton, merit my highest commendation. 

The latter officer co-operated in the attack of 
the mountain by detaching troops to his left, in 
which the honourable lieutenant-colonel Trench 
was wounded, but I hope not seriously. 

While these operations were going on, and in 
proportion as I observed their success, I detached 
troops to the support of lieutenant-general Sir 
Rowland Hill. 

The enemy appeared in his front late in the 
morning, and immediately commenced an ex¬ 
tended manoeuvre upon his left flank, which 
obliged him to withdraw from the height which 
he occupied behind the Lizasso to the next range. 
He there, however, maintained himself; and I 
enclose his report of the conduct of the troops. 


228 append*: 

► 

I continued the pursuit of the enemy after their 
retreat from the mountain to Olaque, where I was 
at sunset, immediately in the rear of their attack 
upon lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill. They 
withdrew from his front in the night, and yesterday 
took up a strong position, with two divisions, to 
cover their rear in the pass of Donna Maria. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill and the 
Earl of Dalhousie attacked and carried the pass, 
notwithstanding the vigorous resistance of the 
enemy, and the strength of their position. I am 
concerned to add, that lieutenant-general the 
honourable William Stewart was wounded upon 
this occasion. 

I enclose lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill's 
report. 

In the mean time I moved with major-general 
Byng’s brigade, and the 4th division under lieu¬ 
tenant-general Sir Lowry Cole, by the pass of 
Villate upon Irurita, in order to turn the enemy’s 
position on Donna Maria. Major-general Byng 
took, in Elizondo, a large convoy going to the 
enemy, and made many prisoners. 

We have this day continued the pursuit of the 
enemy in the valley of the Bidassoa, and many 
prisoners and much baggage have been taken. 
Major-general Byng has possessed himself of the 
valley of Bastan, and of the position on the Puerto 
de Maya, and the army will be this night nearly 


Pyrenees?; 1813. 229 

in the same positions which they occupied on the 
25th July. 

I trust that H. R. H. the Prince Regent will be 
satisfied with the conduct of the troops of His 
Majesty and of his allies on this occasion. The 
enemy having been considerably reinforced and 
re-equipped after their late defeat, made a most 
formidable attempt to relieve the blockade of 
Pamplona with the whole of their forces, except¬ 
ing the reserve under general Villatte, which re¬ 
mained in front of our troops on the great road 
from Irun. 

This attempt has been entirely frustrated by 
the operations of a part only of the allied army, 
and the enemy have sustained a defeat and suf¬ 
fered a severe loss in both officers and men. 

The enemy’s expectations of success, beyond 
the point of raising the blockade of Pamplona, 
were certainly very sanguine. They brought into 
Spain a large body of cavalry, and a great number 
of guns, neither of which arms could be used to 
any great extent by either party in the battle 
which took place. They sent off the guns to St. 
Jean de Pied de Port, on the evening of the 
28th, which have thus returned to France in 
safety. 

The detail of the operations will show your 
lordship how much reason I have to be satisfied 

a 3 


230 


appcnbtjt: 

with the conduct of all the general officers, officers 
and troops. It is impossible to describe the en¬ 
thusiastic bravery of the 4th division ; and I was 
much indebted to lieutenant-general Sir Lowry 
Cole for the manner in which he directed their 
operations; to major-general Anson, major- 
general Ross, major-general Byng, and brigadier- 
general Campbell, of the Portuguese service. All 
the officers commanding, and the officers of the 
regiments, were remarkable for their gallantry; 
out I particularly observed lieutenant-colonel 
0 ‘Toole, of the 7th ca^adores, in the charge upon 
the enemy on our left, on the 28th, and captain 
Joaquim Telles Jurdao, of the 11th Portuguese 
regiment, in the attack of the mountain on the 
30th. 

I beg to draw your lordship’s attention likewise 
to the valuable assistance I received, throughout 
these operations, from lieutenant-general Sir 
Rowland Hill, from lieutenant-general the Earl of 
Dalhousie, and Sir Thomas Picton, in those of the 
30th and 31st of July. 

To the Conde del Abisbal also I am indebted 
for every assistance it was in his power to give, 
consistently with his attention to the blockade. 
I have already mentioned the conduct of the 
regiments of Pravia and El Principe, belonging 
to the army of reserve of Andalusia, in a most 
trying situation ; and the whole corps appeared 


pjiitmes; 1813. 231 

animated by the same zealous spirit which per¬ 
vaded all the troops in that position. 

Marshal Sir William Beresford was with me 
throughout these operations, and I received from 
him all the assistance which his talents so well 
qualify him to afford me. The good conduct of 
the Portuguese officers and troops in all the ope¬ 
rations of the present campaign, and the spirit 
which they show on every occasion, are not less 
honourable to that nation, than they are to the 
military character of the officer, who, by his judi¬ 
cious measures, has re-established discipline, and 
revived a military spirit in the army. 

I have again to draw your lordship’s attention 
to the valuable assistance I received throughout 
these operations from the quartermaster-general 
major-general Murray, and the adjutant-general 
major-general Pakenham, and the officers of those 
departments respectively; and from lieutenant- 
colonel Lord Fitzroy Somerset, lieutenant-colonel 
Campbell, and the officers of my personal staff. 

Although our wounded are numerous, I am 
happy to say that the cases in general are slight, 
and I have great pleasure in reporting to your 
lordship that the utmost attention has been paid to 
them by the inspector of hospitals, Dr. M‘Gregor, 
and by the officers of the department under his 
directions. 

Adverting to the extent and nature of our 

Q 4 


232 append!*: 

operations, and the difficulties of our communi¬ 
cations at times, I have reason to be extremely 
well satisfied with the zeal and exertions of Sir 
Robert Kennedy, the commissary-general, and 
the officers of his department, throughout the 
campaign, which upon the whole have been more 
successful in supplying the troops than could 
have been expected. 

I transmit this dispatch to your lordship by his 
serene highness the hereditary Prince of Orange, 
who is perfectly acquainted with all that has 
passed, and with the situation of the army ; and 
will be able to inform your lordship of many 
details relating to this series of operations, for 
which a dispatch does not afford scope. His 
highness had a horse shot under him in the battle 
near Sorauren on the 28th of July. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

(signed) Wellington. 

I have omitted to inform your lordship in the 
body of the dispatch, that the troops in the 
Puerto de Maya lost their four Portuguese guns 
on the 25th of July. Major-general Pringle, who 
commanded when the attack commenced, had 
ordered them to retire towards Maya; and when 
lieutenant-general Stewart came up, he ordered 
that they might return, and retire by the moun¬ 
tain road to Elizondo. In the mean time the 


233 


ppremeg; 1813. 

enemy were in possession of the pass, and the 
communication with that road was lost, and they 
could not reach it. 

I enclose returns of the loss before San Se¬ 
bastian, from the 7th to the 27th of July; and 
returns ot the killed, wounded and missing, in the 
operations from the 25th ultimo to the 1st 
instant. 


My Lord, July 31, 1813. 

I have the satisfaction to acquaint your lord- 
ship that although, from the immense superiority 
of force which the enemy directed against the 
position entrusted to my charge, yesterday, it be¬ 
came, in my opinion, imperiously necessary for 
me to retire from that ground: the conduct of 
the officers and troops, British and Portuguese, 
was such as to entitle them to my entire appro¬ 
bation, and I could not have wished it to be 
better. 

Major-general Pringle, with major-general 
Walker’s brigade, under lieutenant-colonel Fitz¬ 
gerald, of the 60th regiment, supported by the 
34th regiment, and 14th Portuguese regiment, 
opposed the ascent of the enemy to the ridge on 
the left of the position, in a most gallant style; 
drove him repeatedly back, and although unable 
ultimately to prevent him from ascending the 



234 appfll&tJ: 

ridge, by a more distant movement, our troops 
kept their ground firmly, and when ordered to 
retire, performed it under major-general Pringle, 
with the greatest regularity, and with small loss, 
covered by a battalion of the 14th Portuguese 
regiment, under lieutenant-colonel McDonald, of 
the conduct of which officer, and the steadiness 
of his regiment, the major-general speaks in terms 
of the greatest praise. 

Colonel Ashworth’s brigade, also attacked in 
his position by a superior force, met the attack 
with the greatest steadiness, and drove the enemy 
before him at the point of the bayonet, and held 
his ground as long as I thought it prudent for 
him to do so; and a battalion of brigadier-general 
Costa’s brigade held the ridge on the right of the 
position to the last, covering the formation of 
the troops on the ground they were directed to 
take up: the enemy attempted to force the point, 
but were repulsed by brigadier-general Costa, 
and finally driven down the ridge at the point of 
the bayonet, by that battalion, a part of colonel 
Ashworth’s brigade, and a small detachment of 
the 28th regiment. On the whole, I can assure 
your lordship that the enemy had nothing to boast 
of, nor was our loss severe, considering the dis¬ 
parity of our forces. 

I feel particularly indebted to major-general 
Pringle for his conduct on this occasion, as well 


235 


Pyrenees; 1813. 

as to colonel Ashworth, colonel O’Callaghan, 
and lieutenant-colonel Fitzgerald, 6oth foot, 
commanding brigades under him, and also to 
lieutenant-general the Conde d’Amarante and 
brigadier-general Costa, who was wounded. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 
(signed) Rowland Hill. 

To Field-marshal Marquess of 
Wellington, k. g. 

P. S. I must not omit to mention the services 
of colonel Pampluna and lieutenant-colonel Pyn, 
18th regiment, lieutenant-colonel Grant and major 
Mitchell, commanding the 6th of the line, and 
6th Portuguese, in colonel Ashworth’s brigade. 


My Lord, Elizondo, August l, 1813. 

I have the honour to acquaint your lordship, 
that, in compliance with the instructions I re¬ 
ceived through major-general Murray, I pro¬ 
ceeded yesterday with the column under my or¬ 
ders, on the road to Donna Maria. On our 
arrival at the foot of the pass, we found the 
enemy ascending the hill in great haste, and 
closely pressed by the 7th division, moving by a 
road parallel and to the right of that which my 
column was on. The rear of the enemy’s co¬ 
lumn having began to ascend the hills before our 



236 appnitnj: 

arrival, it was impossible to cut off any part of it. 
It was, however, considerably annoyed on its 
march by one nine-pounder and a howitzer. 
I immediately ordered the 2d division, under 
lieutenant-general Stewart, to ascend the hill by 
the road we were on ? whilst the Earl of Dal- 
housie’s column ascended by one more to the 
right. The enemy took up a strong position at 
the top of the pass, with a cloud of skirmishers in 
the front. 

The attack on our side was led by lieutenant- 
general Stewart, with major-general Walker’s 
brigade, under lieutenant-colonel Fitzgerald of 
the 6oth, who forced back the enemy’s skir¬ 
mishers to the summit of the hill; but coming 
upon their main body, found them so numerous 
and so strongly posted, that lieutenant-general 
Stewart was induced to withdraw them until the 
seventh division should be in closer co-operation 
with him. About this time the lieutenant-gene¬ 
ral was wounded, and the command of the divi¬ 
sion devolved upon major-general Pringle, who, 
with his own brigade, commanded by colonel 
O’Callaghan, renewed the attack on our side, 
whilst the seventh division pressed them on the 
other, and both divisions gained the height about 
the same time, the enemy retiring, after sustain¬ 
ing a very considerable loss. The conduct of 
lieutenant-general Stewart, major-general Pringle, 


pprcnecg; 1813. 237 

and of the officers and troops in general, was con¬ 
spicuously good, and I regret that the very thick 
fog prevented our taking that advantage of the 
situation of the enemy which we might otherwise 
have done. 

A part of each division pursued them some 
distance down the hill, and occasioned them a 
considerable loss. Having thus far performed 
your lordship’s instructions, I withdrew my 
column from the pass, and moved it upon 
Almandos. 

Major-general Pringle praises the conduct of 
captain Heise and captain Thorn, on this occa¬ 
sion ; and I believe it is the intention of lieute¬ 
nant-general Stewart to report the good conduct 
of some other officers, but his wound has pro¬ 
bably delayed it. 

I have, &c. 

(signed) Rowland Hill, 

Lieut.-gen. 


My Lord, Lezaca, 4th August, 1813. 

THE Prince of Orange having been detained till 
this day for the returns, I have to inform your 
lordship that the enemy still continued posted 
in the morning of the ed, with a force of two di¬ 
visions on the Puerto de Echalar, and nearly the 
whole army behind the Puerto, when the 4th, 



238 ^ppettiujr: 

7th, and light divisions advanced by the valley of 
Bidassoa to the frontier, and I had determined to 
dislodge them by a combined attack and move¬ 
ment of the three divisions. 

The seventh division, however, having crossed 
the mountains from Sumbilla, and having neces¬ 
sarily preceded the arrival of the fourth, major- 
general Barnes’s brigade was formed for the at¬ 
tack, and advanced, before the fourth and light 
divisions could co-operate, with a regularity and 
gallantry which I have seldom seen equalled, 
and actually drove the two divisions of the enemy, 
notwithstanding the resistance opposed to them, 
from those formidable heights. It is impossible 
that I can extol too highly the conduct of major- 
general Barnes and these brave troops, which was 
the admiration of all who were witnesses of it. 

Major-general Kempt’s brigade of the light 
division, likewise drove a very considerable force 
from the rock which forms the left of the Puerto. 

There is now no enemy in the field within this 
part of the Spanish frontier. 

I have the honour to enclose lieutenant-general 
Sir Thomas Graham’s report of the assault of San 
Sebastian. 

While the troops were engaged in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Pamplona, as reported in my dispatch 
of the 1st instant, brigadier-general Longa occu¬ 
pied with his division this part of the Bidassoa, 


239 


ppremeg; 1813. 

including the town of Vera. That part of the 
enemy’s army which had been left in observation 
of the allied troops, on the great road from Irun, 
attacked him on the 2.8th, but were repulsed with 
considerable loss. 

I have great pleasure in reporting the good 
conduct of these troops on all occasions; and 
likewise of a battalion of Spanish ca^adores, in 
general Barcena’s division of the Gallician army, 
which had been sent to the bridge of Yansi, on 
the enemy’s retreat on the 1st instant, which it 
held against very superior numbers during a great 
part of the day. 

Nothing of importance has occurred in Arragon 
since my dispatch of the 19th July. 

I have a report from lieutenant general Lord 
William Bentinck, from Binaroz on the 21st July; 
and he was making preparations to cross the 
Ebro. 

I have, &c. 

(signed) Wellington. 

Earl Bathurst, 

&c. &c. &c. 

P. S. I enclose a return of the killed and 
wounded in the attack of the enemy’s position on 
the 2d instant. 


240 


append*: 


Abstract of Return of the Killed, Wounded and 
Missing, of the Allied Army, from the 25th to 
the 28 th July 1813, inclusive. 

Total British loss:—One major, 7 captains, 
12 lieutenants, 2 ensigns, 3 staff, 30 serjeants, 

2 drummers, 324 rank and file, killed; 1 general 
staff, 7 lieutenant-colonels, 9 majors, 31 captains, 
72 lieutenants, 24 ensigns, 3 staff, 105 serjeants, 
5 drummers, 2,192 rank and file, 5 horses, 
wounded; 5 captains, 4 lieutenants, 4 ensigns, 

I staff, 10 serjeants, 7 drummers, 373 rank and 
hie, 1 horse, missing. 

Total Portuguese loss:—One major, 2 captains, 

3 ensigns, 4 serjeants, 157 rank and file, killed; 

5 lieutenant-colonels, 4 majors, 13 captains, 
9 lieutenants, 12 ensigns, 3 staff, 41 serjeants, 

6 drummers, 825 rank anti file, wounded ; 2 ser¬ 
jeants, 48 rank and file, missing. 

Total Spanish loss:—Twenty-six rank and file 
killed; 12 officers, 155 rank and file, wounded; 

II rank and file missing. 

Grand total:—Two majors, 9 captains, 12 
lieutenants, 5 ensigns, 3 staff, 34 serjeants, 2 
drummers, 507 rank and file, killed; 1 general 
staff, 12 lieutenant-colonels, 13 majors, 44 cap¬ 
tains, 81 lieutenants, 36 ensigns, 12 Spanish offi¬ 
cers, 6 staff, 146 serjeants, 11 drummers, 3,172 


241 


]Dpt*cnec0; 1813. 

rank and file, 5 horses, wounded; 5 captains, 
4 lieutenants, 4 ensigns, 1 staff, 12 serjeants, 
7 drummers, 432 rank and file, 1 horse, missing. 

(signed) E. Pakenham , Adj.-gen. 


July 30 thy 1813. 

Total British loss: — One major, 2 captains, 
6 serjeants, 72 rank and file, 3 horses, killed ; 
1 general staff, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 3 majors, 
9 captains, 18 lieutenants, 4 ensigns, 3 staff, 
32 serjeants, 4 drummers, 394 rank and file, 
4 horses, wounded ; 2 lieutenants, 3 serjeants, 
52 rank and file, missing. 

Total Portuguese loss:—One major, 1 captain, 
1 lieutenant, 1 staff, 8 serjeants, 130 rank and file, 
killed; 1 general staff, 1 colonel, 4 lieutenant- 
colonels, 5 majors, 8 captains, 8 lieutenants, 17 
ensigns, 31 serjeants, 8 drummers, 760 rank and 
file, wounded ; 135 rank and file missing. 

Grand total:—Two majors, 3 captains, 1 lieute¬ 
nant, 1 staff, 14 serjeants, 202 rank and file, 3 
horses, killed; 2 general staff, 1 colonel, 5 lieute¬ 
nant colonels, 8 majors, 17 captains, 26 lieute¬ 
nants, 21 ensigns, 3 staff, 63 serjeants, 12 drummers, 
1,154 rank and file, 4 horses, wounded ; 2 lieute¬ 
nants, 3 serjeants, 187 rank and file, missing. 

(signed) E. M. Pakenham , Adj.-gen. 

it 



append: 


242 


£>rtjjeg. 


London Gazette Extraordinary, March 20, 1814. 


Letter from the Marquess of Wellington. 

My Lord, St. Sever, March 1, 1814. 

I returned to Garris on the 21st, and ordered 
the 6th and light divisions to break up from the 
blockade of Bayonne, and general Don Manuel 
Freyre to close up the cantonments of his corps 
towards Irun, and to be prepared to move when 
the left of the army should cross the Adour. 

I found the pontoons collected at Garris, and 
they were moved forward on the following days 
to and across the Gave de Mouleon, and the 
troops of the centre of the army arrived. 

On the 24th, lieutenant-general Sir Rowland 
Hill passed the Gave d’Oleron at Villenave, with 
the light, 2d, and Portuguese divisions, under the 
command of major-general Charles Baron Alten, 
lieutenant-general Sir William Stewart, and ma- 
rischal de campo Don Frederick Lecor; while 
lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton passed with 
the 6th division between Monfort and Laas, and 
lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton made de¬ 
monstrations, with the 3d division, of an intention 
to attack the enemy’s position at the bridge of 




£Drt|jc 0 ; 1814. 24S 

Sauveterre, which induced the enemy to blow up 
the bridge. 

Marischal de campoDon Pablo Murillo drove in 
the enemy's posts near Naverrens, and blockaded 
that place. 

Field-marshal Sir William Beresford likewise, 
who, since the movement of Sir Rowland Hill on 
the 14th and 15th, had remained with the 4th 
and 7th divisions, and colonel Vivian’s brigade, in 
observation on the Lower Bidouze, attacked the 
enemy on the 23d in their fortified posts at Has- 
tingues and Oyergave, on the left of the Gave de 
Pau, and obliged them to retire within the tete- 
de-pont at Peyrehorade. 

Immediately after the passage of the Gave 
d’Oleron was effected, Sir Rowland Hill and Sir 
Henry Clinton moved towards Orthes, and the 
great road leading from Sauveterre to that town; 
and the enemy retired in the night from Sauve¬ 
terre across the Gave de Pau, and assembled 
their army near Orthes on the 25th, having de¬ 
stroyed all the bridges on the river. 

The right and right of the centre of the army 
assembled opposite Orthes. Lieutenant-general 
Sir Stapleton Cotton, with Lord Edward Somer¬ 
set’s brigade of cavalry, and the 3d division, 
under lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, w'as 
near the destroyed bridge of Bereus, and field- 
marshal Sir W. Beresford, with the 4th and 7th 


r 2 


244 


0ppentw: 

divisions, under lieutenant-general Sir Lowry 
Cole, and major-general Walker, and colonel 
Vivian’s brigade, towards the junction of the 
Gave de Pau with the Gave d'Oleron. 

The troops opposed to the marshal having 
marched on the 25th, he crossed the Gave de 
Pau below the junction of the Gave d’Oleron, on 
the morning of the 26th, and moved along the 
high road from Peyrehorade towards Orthes, on 
the enemy’s right. As he approached, lieutenant- 
general Sir Stapleton Cotton crossed with the 
cavalry, and lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Pic- 
ton with the 3d division, below the bridge of 
Bereus ; and I moved the 6th and light divisions 
to the same point, and lieutenant-general Sir 
Rowland Hill occupied the heights opposite 
Orthes, and the high road leading to Sauveterre. 

The 6th and light divisions crossed on the 
morning of the 27th at daylight, and we found 
the enemy in a strong position near Orthes, with 
his right on the heights on the high road to Dax, 
and occupying the village of St. Boes, and his left 
on the heights above Orthes and that town, and 
opposing the passage of the river by Sir R. Hill. 

The course of the heights on which the enemy 
had placed his army, necessarily retired his centre, 
while the strength of the position gave extraor¬ 
dinary advantages to the flanks. 

I ordered marshal Sir W. Beresford to turn and 


245 


£>«6e$s; 1814. 

attack the enemy’s right, with the 4th division 
under lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole, and the 
7th division under major-general Walker, and 
colonel Vivian’s brigade of cavalry; while lieute¬ 
nant-general Sir Thomas Picton should move 
along the great road leading from Peyrehorade to 
Orthes, and attack the heights on which the 
enemy’s centre and left stood, with the 3d and 
6th divisions, supported by Sir Stapleton Cotton 
with Lord Edward Somerset’s brigade of cavalry. 
Major-general Charles Baron Alten, with the 
light division, kept up the communication, and 
was in reserve between these two attacks. I 
likewise desired lieutenant-general Sir Rowland 
Hill to cross the Gave, and to turn and to attack 
the enemy’s left. 

Marshal Sir W. Beresford carried the village of 
St. Boes with the 4th division, under the com¬ 
mand of lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole, after 
an obstinate resistance by the enemy; but the 
ground was so narrow that the troops could not 
deploy to attack the heights, notwithstanding the 
repeated attempts of major-general Ross and 
brigadier-general Vasconcello’s Portuguese bri¬ 
gade; and it was impossible to turn the enemy 
by their right, without an excessive extension of 
our line. 

I therefore so far altered the plan of the action, 
as to order the immediate advance of the 3d and 

R 3 


246 


appmtnjr: 

6th divisions, and I moved forward colonel Bar¬ 
nard's brigade of the light division, to attack the 
left of the height on which the enemy’s right 
stood. 

This attack, led by the 52d regiment, under 
lieutenant-colonel Colborne, and supported on 
their right by major-general Brisbane’s and colo¬ 
nel Kean’s brigades of the 3d division, and by 
simultaneous attacks on the left by major-general 
Anson’s brigade of the 4th division, and on the 
right by lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, 
with the remainder of the 3d division, and the 6th 
division under lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clin¬ 
ton, dislodged the enemy from the heights, and 
gave us the victory. 

In the meantime lieutenant-general Sir Row¬ 
land Hill had forced the passage of the Gave 
above Orthes, and seeing the state of the action, 
he moved immediately with the second division 
of infantry under lieutenant-general Sir William 
Stewart, and major-general Fane’s brigade of 
cavalry, direct for the great road from Orthes to 
St. Sever, thus keeping upon the enemy’s left. 

The enemy retired at first in admirable order, 
taking every advantage of the numerous good 
positions which the country afforded. The losses, 
however, which they sustained in the continued 
attacks of our troops, and the danger with which 
they were threatened by lieutenant-general Sir 


247 


£Drtficsi; 1814. • 

Rowland Hill’s movements, soon accelerated their 
movements, and the retreat at length became 
a flight, and their troops were in the utmost con¬ 
fusion. 

Lieutenant-general Sir Stapleton Cotton took 
advantage of the only opportunity which offered 
to charge with major-general Lord Edward So¬ 
merset’s brigade in the neighbourhood of Sault de 
Navailles, where the enemy had been driven from 
the high road by lieutenant-general Sir Rowland 
Hill. The 7th hussars distinguished themselves 
upon this occasion, and made many prisoners. 

We continued the pursuit till it was dusk, and 
1 halted the army in the neighbourhood of Sault 
de Navailles. 

I cannot estimate the extent of the enemy’s 
loss : we have taken six pieces of cannon and a 
great many prisoners, the numbers I cannot at 
present report. The whole country is covered by 
their dead. Their army was in the utmost con¬ 
fusion when I last saw it passing the heights near 
Sault de Navailles, and many soldiers had thrown 
away their arms. The desertion has since been 
immense. 

We followed the enemy the day after to this 
place ; and we this day passed the Adour; marshal 
Sir W. Beresford, with the light division, and colonel 
Vivian’s brigade, upon Mont de Marsan, where he 
has taken a very large magazine of provisions. 

R 4 


248 


appentu*: 

Lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill has moved 
upon Aire, and the advanced posts of the centre 
are at Casares. 

The enemy are apparently retiring upon A gen, 
and have left open the direct road towards Bour- 
deaux. 

Whilst the operations, of which I have above 
given the report, were carrying on on the right of 
the army, lieutenant-general Sir John Hope, in 
concert with rear-admiral Penrose, availed him¬ 
self of an opportunity which offered on the 23d 
of February, to cross the Adour below Bayonne, 
and to take possession of both banks of the river 
at its mouth. The vessels destined to form the 
bridge could not get in till the 24th, when the 
difficult, and at this season of the year dangerous, 
operation of bringing them in was effected with 
a degree of gallantry and skill seldom equalled. 
Lieutenant-general Sir John Hope particularly 
mentions captain O'Reilly and lieutenant Che¬ 
shire, lieutenant Douglas, and lieutenant Collins, 
of the royal navy, and also lieutenant Debenham, 
agent of transports ; and I am infinitely indebted 
to rear-admiral Penrose for the cordial assistance 
I received from him in preparing for this plan, 
and for that which he gave lieutenant-general Sir 
John Hope in carrying it into execution. 

The enemy, conceiving that the means of cross¬ 
ing the river, which lieutenant-general Sir John 


219 


£Dftfic0; 1814. 

Hope had at his command, viz. rafts made of 
pontoons, had not enabled him to cross a large 
force in the course of the ‘23d, attacked the corps 
which he had sent over on that evening. This 
corps consisted of six hundred men of the 2d 
brigade of guards, under the command of major- 
general the honourable Edward Stopford, who 
repulsed the enemy immediately. The rocket 
brigade was of great use upon this occasion. 

Three of the enemy’s gun-boats were destroyed 
this day, and a frigate lying in the Adour received 
considerable damage from the fire of a battery of 
eighteen pounders, and was obliged to go higher 
up the river to the neighbourhood of the bridge. 

Lieutenant general Sir John Hope invested the 
citadel of Bayonne on the 25th, and lieutenant- 
general Don Manuel Freyre moved forward with 
the fourth Spanish army, in consequence of direc¬ 
tions which I had left for him. On the 27th, the 
bridge having been completed, lieutenant-general 
Sir John Hope deemed it expedient to invest the 
citadel of Bayonne more closely than he had done 
before ; and he attacked the village of St. Etienne, 
which he carried, having taken a gun and some 
prisoners from the enemy; and his posts are now 
within nine hundred yards of the outworks of the 
place. 

The result of the operations which I have 
detailed to your lordship is, that Bayonne, St. 


250 append*: 

Jean Pied de Port, and Navarrens, are invested, 
and the army having passed the A dour, are in 
possession of all the great communications across 
the river, after having beaten the enemy and 
taken their magazines. 

Your lordship will have observed with satisfac¬ 
tion the able assistance which I have received in 
these operations from marshal Sir W. Beresford, 
lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill, Sir John 
Hope, and Sir Stapleton Cotton, and from all the 
general officers, officers and troops, acting under 
their orders respectively. 

It is impossible for me sufficiently to express 
my sense of their merits, or of the degree in which 
the country is indebted to their zeal and ability 
for the situation in which the army now finds 
itself. 

All the troops, Portuguese as well as British, 
distinguished themselves: the 4th division, under 
lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole, in the attack 
of St. Boes, and the subsequent endeavours to 
carry the right of the heights; the 3d, 6th, and 
light divisions, under the command of lieutenant- 
general Sir Thomas Picton, Sir H. Clinton, major- 
general Charles Baron Alten, in the attack of the 
enemy’s position on the heights; and these and 
the 7th division, under Major-general Walker, in 
the various operations and attacks during the 
enemy’s retreat. 


251 


aDrtgess; 1814. 

The charge made by the 7th hussars under 
Lord Edward Somerset was highly meritorious. 

The conduct of the artillery throughout the 
day deserved my entire approbation. I am like¬ 
wise much indebted to the quartermaster-general 
Sir George Murray, and the adjutant-general Sir 
Edward Pakenham, for the assistance I have re¬ 
ceived from them, and to Lord Fitzroy Somerset 
and the officers of my personal staff, and to the 
marischal de campo Don Miguel Alava. 

The last accounts which I have received from 
Catalonia are of the 20th. The French com¬ 
manders of the garrisons of Llerida, Mequinenza, 
and Mauzon, had been induced to evacuate these 
places, by orders sent them by the Baron 
D’Eroles, in Marshal Sucliet’s cypher, of which 
he had got possession. 

The troops composing these garrisons, having 
joined, w r ere afterwards surrounded in the pass of 
Martorell, on their march towards the French 
frontier, by a detachment from the Anglo-Sicilian 
corps, and one from the first Spanish army. 
Lieutenant-general Copons allowed them to capi¬ 
tulate, but I have not yet received from him any 
report on this subject, nor do I yet know what is 
the result. 

It was expected in Catalonia that marshal 
Suchet would immediately evacuate that province ; 
and I hear here that he is to join marshal Soult. 


252 appenOtj: 

I have not yet received the detailed reports of 
the capitulation of Jaca. 

I enclose returns of the killed and wounded 
during the late operations* 

I send this dispatch by my aid-de-camp major 
Freeman tie, whom I beg leave to recommend to 
your lordship’s protection. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

(signed) Wellington. 


Total Loss on the v^th of February. 

British:—l major, 6 captains, 7 lieutenants, 1 
staff, 21 serjeants, 2 drummers, 169 rank and 
file, killed; 2 general staff, 2 lieutenant-colonels, 
7 majors, 30 captains, 49 lieutenants, 14 en¬ 
signs, 1 staff, 1 quarter-master, 67 serjeants, 
11 drummers, 1,203 rank and file, 33 horses, 
wounded; 1 captain, 2 serjeants, l drummer, 
27 rank and file, 1 horse, missing. 

Portuguese :—1 lieutenant-colonel, 2 majors, 
4 serjeants, 59 rank and file, killed ; 2 lieute¬ 
nant-colonels, 2 majors, 5 captains, 6 lieutenants, 
11 ensigns, 20 serjeants, 6 drummers, 452 rank 
and file, wounded ; 3 serjeants, 36 rank and file, 
missing. 

(signed) E. M. Pakenham , 

Adj.-gen. 



JBouttieaujr; 1814. 


253 


IBoutiieaujr. 


London Gazette Extraordinary, March ‘id, 1814. 


Extract of Letter from the Marquess of Wellington. 

Aire, March 13, 1814. 

THE excessive bad weather and violent fall 
of rain, in the beginning of the month, having 
swelled to an extraordinary degree all the rivers, 
and rendered it difficult and tedious to repair 
the numerous bridges, which the enemy had de¬ 
stroyed in their retreat, and the different parts of 
the army being without communication with each 
other, I was obliged to halt. 

The enemy retired after the affair with lieute¬ 
nant-general Sir Rowland Hill on the 2d, by 
both banks of the Adour towards Tarbes, pro¬ 
bably with a view to be joined by the detach¬ 
ments from marshal Suchet’s army, which left 
Catalonia in the last week in February. 

In the mean time I sent, on the 7th, a detach¬ 
ment, under major-general Fane, to take posses¬ 
sion of Pau; and another on the 8th, under 
marshal Sir William Beresford, to take possession 
of Bourdcaux. 




254 appentiijc; 

I have the pleasure to inform your lordship, 
that the marshal arrived there yesterday (the 
small force which was there having in the pre¬ 
ceding evening retired across the Garonne), and 
that this important city is in our possession. 

Lieutenant-general Don Manuel Frere joined 
the army this day, with that part of the 4th army 
under his immediate command, and I expect that 
major-general Ponsonby’s brigade of cavalry will 
join to-morrow. 

I learn from major-general Fane, who com¬ 
mands lieutenant-general Sir Rowland Hill's out¬ 
posts, that the enemy have this day collected a 
considerable force in the neighbourhood of Cou- 
chez, and I therefore conclude that they have 
been joined by the detachment of the army of 
Catalonia, which, it is reported, amounts to 
10,000 men. 

Nothing important has occurred at the block¬ 
ade of Bayonne or in Catalonia since I addressed 
your lordship last. 


^oulougc; 1814. 


255 


■Coulouse* 


London Gazette Extraordinary, April 2 6, 1814. 

Letter from the Marquess of Wellington, 

My Lord, Toulouse, April 12, 1814. 

I have the pleasure to inform your lordship 
that 1 entered this town this morning, which the 
enemy evacuated during the night, retiring by 
the road of Carcassone. 

The continued fall of rain, and the state of the 
roads, prevented me from laying the bridge till 
the morning of the 8th, when the Spanish corps, 
and the Portuguese artillery, under the immediate 
orders of lieutenant-general Don Manuel Freyre, 
and the head-quarters, crossed the Garonne. 

We immediately moved forward to the neigh¬ 
bourhood of the town, and the 18th hussars, 
under the immediate command of colonel Vivian, 
had an opportunity of making a most gallant 
attack upon a superior body of the enemy’s 
cavalry, which they drove through the village of 
Croix d’Orade, and took about one hundred pri¬ 
soners, and gave us possession of an important 
bridge over the river Ers, by which it was neces¬ 
sary to pass in order to attack the enemy’s posi- 




c 256 appentujr: 

tion. Colonel Vivian was unfortunately wounded 
upon this occasion, and I am afraid that I shall 
lose the benefit of his assistance for some time. 

The town of Toulouse is surrounded on three 
sides by the canal of Languedoc and the Ga¬ 
ronne. On the left of that river, the suburb, 
which the enemy had fortified with strong field 
works in front of the ancient wall, formed a good 
tete-de-pont. 

They had likewise formed a tete-de-pont at 
each bridge of the canal, which was besides de¬ 
fended by the fire, in some places of musquetry, 
and in all of artillery, from the ancient wall of 
the town. Beyond the canal to the eastward, 
and between that and the river Ers, is a height 
which extends as far as Montaudrau, and over 
which pass all the roads to the canal and town 
from the eastward, which it defends, and the 
enemy, in addition to the tete-de-pont on the 
bridges of the canal, had fortified the height with 
five redoubts, connected by lines of in trench- 
ments, and had with extraordinary diligence made 
every preparation for defence. They had like¬ 
wise broken all the bridges over the Ers within 
our reach, by which the right of their position 
could be approached. The roads, however, from 
the Ariege to Toulouse being impracticable for 
cavalry or artillery, and nearly so for infantry, as 
reported to your lordship in my despatch of the 


Coulougc; 1814. 257 

1st instant, I had no alternative, excepting to 
attack the enemy in this formidable position. 

It was necessary to move the pontoon bridge 
higher up the Garonne, in order to shorten the 
communication with lieutenant-general Sir Row¬ 
land Hill’s corps, as soon as the Spanish corps 
had passed; and this operation was not effected 
till so late an hour on the 9th, as to induce me 
to defer the attack till the following morning. 

The plan according to which I determined to 
attack the enemy, was for marshal Sir William 
Beresford, who was on the right of the Ers with 
the 4th and 6th divisions, to cross that river at 
the bridge of Croix d’Orade, to gain possession of 
Montblanc, and to march up the left of the Ers 
to turn the enemy’s right, while lieutenant-general 
Don Manuel Freyre, with the Spanish corps under 
his command, supported by the British cavalry, 
should attack the front. Lieutenant-general Sir 
Stapleton Cotton was to follow the marshal’s 
movement, with major-general Lord Edward So¬ 
merset’s brigade of hussars ; and colonel Vivian’s 
brigade, under the command of colonel Arents- 
child, was to observe the movement of the enemy’s 
cavalry on both banks of the Ers beyond our 
left. 

The ,3d and light divisions, under the command 
of lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton and 
major-general Charles Baron Alten, and the bri- 

s 


258 appctlDt*: 

gade of German cavalry, were to observe the 
enemy on the lower part of the canal, and to draw 
their attention to that quarter by threatening the 
tete-de-pont, while lieutenant-general Sir Row¬ 
land Hill was to do the same on the suburb on 
the left of the Garonne. 

Marshal Sir William Beresford crossed the Ers, 
and formed his corps in three columns of lines in 
the village of Croix d’Orade, the 4th division 
leading, with which he immediately carried Mon- 
blanc. He then moved up the Ers in the same 
order, over most difficult ground, in a direction 
parallel to the enemy’s fortified position : and as 
soon as he reached the point at which he turned 
it, he formed his lines and moved to the attack. 
During these operations lieutenant-general Don 
Manuel Freyre moved along the left of the Ers to 
the front of Croix d’Orade, where he formed his 
corps in two lines, with a reserve on a height in 
front of the left of the enemy’s position, on which 
height the Portuguese artillery was placed; and 
major-general Ponsonby’s brigade of cavalry in 
reserve in the rear. 

As soon as formed, and that it was seen that 
marshal Sir William Beresford was ready, lieute¬ 
nant-general Don Manuel Freyre moved forward 
to the attack. The troops marched in good 
order under a very heavy fire of musquetry and 
artillery, and showed great spirit, the general and 


^oulouge; 1814. 259 

all his staff being at their head; and the two lines 
were soon lodged under some banks immediately 
under the enemy’s entrenchments ; the reserve 
and Portuguese artillery, and British cavalry, 
continuing on the heights on which the troops 
had first formed. The enemy, however, repulsed 
the movement of the right of general Freyre’s 
line round their left flank, and having followed up 
their success, and turned our right by both sides 
of the high road leading from Toulouse to Croix 
d’Orade, they soon compelled the whole corps to 
retire. It gave me great satisfaction to see that 
although they suffered considerably in retiring, 
the troops rallied again as soon as the light 
division, which was immediately on their right, 
moved up ; and I cannot sufficiently applaud the 
exertions of lieutenant-general Don Manuel 
Frey re, the officers of the staff of the 4th Spanish 
army, and of the officers of the general staff, to 
rally and form them again. 

Lieutenant-general Mendizabel, who was in the 
field as a volunteer, general Espeletta, and several 
officers of the staff, and chiefs of corps, were 
wounded upon this occasion; but general Men¬ 
dizabel continued in the field. The regiment do 
Tirad. de Cantabria, under the command of co¬ 
lonel Sicilio, kept its position, under the enemy’s 
entrenchments, until I ordered them to retire. 

In the mean time marshal Sir William Beres- 


260 appeninj;: 

ford, with the 4th division, under the command 
of lieutenant-general Sir Lowry Cole, and the 6th 
division, under the command of lieutenant-general 
Sir Henry Clinton, attacked and carried the 
heights on the enemy’s right, and the redoubt 
which covered and protected that flank; and he 
lodged those troops on the same heights with the 
enemy, who w^ere, however, still in possession of 
four redoubts, and of the entrenchments and for¬ 
tified houses. 

The badness of the roads had induced the 
marshal to leave his artillery in the village of 
Montblanc; and some time elapsed before it 
could be brought to him, and before lieutenant- 
general Don Manuel Freyre’s Corps could be re¬ 
formed and brought back to the attack : as soon 
as this was effected the marshal continued his 
movement along the ridge, and carried, with 
general Pack’s brigade of the 6th division, the 
two principal redoubts and fortified houses in the 
enemy’s centre. The enemy made a desperate 
effort from the canal to regain these redoubts, 
but they were repulsed with considerable loss; 
and the 6th division continuing its movement 
along the ridge of the height, and the Spanish 
troops continuing a corresponding movement 
upon the front, the enemy were driven from the 
two redoubts and intrenchments on the left, and 
the whole range of heights were in our posses- 


261 


®OUlOU£it; 1814. 

sion. We did not gain this advantage, however, 
without severe loss, particularly in the brave 6th 
division. Lieutenant-colonel Coghlan, of the 61st, 
an officer of great merit and promise, was unfor¬ 
tunately killed in the attack of the heights. 
Major-general Pack was wounded, but was 
enabled to remain in the field; and colonel 
Douglas, of the 8th Portuguese regiment, lost his 
leg, and I am afraid I shall be deprived for a 
considerable time of his assistance. 

The 36th, 42d, 79th, and 61st regiments lost 
considerable numbers, and were highly distin¬ 
guished throughout the day. 

I cannot sufficiently applaud the ability and 
conduct of marshal SirWm. Beresford throughout 
the operations of the day; nor that of lieutenant- 
generals Sir Lowry Cole, Sir Henry Clinton ; 
major-generals Pack and Lambert, and the 
troops under their command. Marshal Sir Wm. 
Beresford particularly reports the good conduct 
of brigadier-general D’Ur band, the quartermas¬ 
ter-general, and general Brito Mozinho, the ad¬ 
jutant-general of the Portuguese army. 

The 4th division, although exposed on their 
march along the enemy’s front in a galling fire, 
were not so much engaged as the 6th division, 
and did not suffer so much; but they conducted 
themselves with their usual gallantry. 

I had also every reason to be satisfied with the 

s 3 


262 


appettiu*: 

conduct of lieut.-general Don Manuel Freyre, 
lieutenant.-general Don Gabriel Mendizabel, 
mariscal de campo Don Pedro de la Barcena, 
brigadier-general Don J. de Espellata, mariscal 
de campo Don A. Garces de Marcilla, and the 
chief of the staff Don E. S. Salvador, and the 
officers of the staff of the fourth army. The 
officers and troops conducted themselves well in 
all the attacks which they made subsequent to 
their being re-formed. 

The ground not having admitted of the operations 
of the cavalry, they had no opportunity of charging. 

While the operations above detailed were 
going forward on the left of the army, lieutenant- 
general Sir Rowland Hill drove the enemy from 
their exterior works in the suburb, on the left of 
the Garonne, within the ancient wall. Lieute¬ 
nant-general Sir Thomas Picton likewise with the 
3d division drove the enemy within the tete-de- 
pont on the bridge of the canal nearest to the 
Garonne, but the troops having made an effort to 
carry it, they were repulsed, and some loss was 
sustained. Major-general Brisbane was wound¬ 
ed ; but I hope not so as to deprive me for any 
length of time of his assistance; and lieutenant- 
colonel Forbes, of the 45th, an officer of great 
merit, was killed. 

The army being thus established on three sides 
of Toulouse, I immediately detached our light 


263 


^oulougc; 1814 . 

cavalry to cut off the communication by the only 
road practicable for carriages which remained to 
the enemy, till I should be enabled to make ar¬ 
rangements to establish the troops between the 
canal and the Garonne. 

The enemy, however, retired last night, leaving 
in our hands general d’Harispe, general Burrot, 
general St. Hilaire, and sixteen hundred prison¬ 
ers. One piece of cannon was taken on the field 
of battle; and others, and large quantities of 
stores of all descriptions, in the town. 

Since I sent my last report, I have received 
an account from rear-admiral Penrose, of the 
successes in the Gironde of the boats of the 
squadron under his command. 

Lieutenant-general the Earl of Dalhousie 
crossed the Garonne nearly about the time that 
admiral Penrose entered the river, and pushed the 
enemy’s parties under general L’Huillier beyond 
the Dordagne. He then crossed the Dordagne 
on the 4th near St. Andre de Cubzac, with a de¬ 
tachment of the troops under his command, with 
a view to the attack of the Fort of Blaye. His 
lordship found general L’Huillier and general 
Des Barreaux posted near Etauliers, and made 
his disposition to attack them, when they retired, 
leaving about three hundred prisoners in his 
hands. I enclose the Earl of Dalhousie’s report 
of this affair. 

s 4 


264 


flppmtriy: 


In the operations which I have now reported, 
I have had every reason to be satisfied with the 
assistance I received from the quartermaster and 
adjutant-general, and the officers of their depart¬ 
ments respectively; from marescal de campo 
Don Louis Wimpfen, and the officers of the Spa¬ 
nish staff, and from major-general Alava, from 
colonel Dickson, commanding the allied artillery, 
from lieutenant-colonel Lord Fitzroy Somerset, 
and the officers of my personal staff. 

I send this dispatch by my aid-de-camp, major 
Lord William Russell, whom I beg leave to re¬ 
commend to your lordship’s protection. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

(signed) Wellington- 

I enclose a return of the killed and wounded 
in the late operations. 


Abstract Return of Killed , Wounded and Missing , 
of the Army under the Command of His Excel¬ 
lency Field-marshal the Marquess of Wellington y 
in Action voilh the Enemy from the 22 d of March 
to 8 th April 1814, inclusive. 

Total British loss—3 rank and file, 3 horses, 
killed; 1 colonel, 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 
4 serjeants, 24 rank and file, 30 horses, 
wounded; 1 serjeant, 9 rank and file, 9 horses, 
missing. 



Waterloo; 1815. 


265 


Waterloo, 


London Gazette Extraordinary, 22 June 1815. 

Letter from the Duke of Wellington. 

My Lord, Waterloo, June 19, 1815. 

Buonaparte having collected the 1st, 2d, 3d, 
4th and 6th corps of the French army, and the 
imperial guards, and nearly all the cavalry, on the 
Sambre, and between that river and the Meuse, 
between the 10th and 14th of the month, advanced 
on the 15th and attacked the Prussian posts at 
Thuin and Lobez, on the Sambre, at daylight in 
the morning. 

I did not hear of these events till the evening 
of the 15th, and I immediately ordered the troops 
to prepare to march; and afterwards to march to 
their left, as soon as I had intelligence from other 
quarters to prove that the enemy’s movement 
upon Charleroy was the real attack. 

The enemy drove the Prussian posts from the 
Sambre on that day; and general Zieten, who 
commanded the corps which had been at Char¬ 
leroy, retired upon Fleurus; and marshal Prince 
Blucher concentrated the Prussian army upon 
Sombref, holding the villages in front of his posi¬ 
tion of St. Amand and Ligny. 




266 appettOi*: 

The enemy continued his march along the road 
from Charleroy towards Bruxelles, and on the 
same evening, the 15th, attacked a brigade of the 
army of the Netherlands, under the Prince de 
Weimar, posted at Frasne, and forced it back to 
the farm-house on the same road, called Les 
Quatre Bras. 

The Prince of Orange immediately reinforced 
this brigade with another of the same division, 
under general Perponcher, and in the morning 
early regained part of the ground which had been 
lost, so as to have the command of the commu¬ 
nication leading from Nivelles and Bruxelles, with 
marshal Blucher’s position. 

In the mean time 1 had directed the whole army 
to march upon Les Quatre Bras, and the 5th divi¬ 
sion, under lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, 
arrived at about half*past two in the day, followed 
by the corps of troops under the Duke of Bruns¬ 
wick, and afterwards by the contingent of Nassau. 

At this time the enemy commenced an attack 
upon Prince Blucher with his whole force, except¬ 
ing the 1st and 2d corps, and a corps of cavalry 
under general Kellerman, with which he attacked 
our post at Les Quatre Bras. 

The Prussian army maintained their position 
with their usual gallantry and perseverance, 
against a great disparity of numbers, as the 4th 
corps of their army, under general Bulow, had 


OTattrloo; 1815. 267 

not joined, and I was not able to assist them as 
I wished, as I was attacked myself, and the troops, 
the cavalry in particular, which had a long dis¬ 
tance to march, had not arrived. 

We maintained our position also, and completely 
defeated and repulsed all the enemy’s attempts to 
get possession of it. The enemy repeatedly at¬ 
tacked us with a large body of infantry and cavalry, 
supported by a numerous and powerful artillery ; 
he made several charges with the cavalry upon our 
infantry, but all were repulsed in the steadiest 
manner. In this affair, his royal highness the 
Prince of Orange, the Duke of Brunswick, and 
lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, and major- 
general Sir James Kempt, and Sir Denis Pack, 
who were engaged from the commencement of the 
enemy’s attack, highly distinguished themselves, 
as well as lieutenant-general Charles Baron Alten, 
major-general Sir C. Halket, lieutenant-general 
Cooke, and major-generals Maitland and Byng, 
4s they successively arrived. 'I he troops of the 
5th division and those of the Brunswick corps were 
long and severely engaged, and conducted them¬ 
selves with the utmost gallantry. I must par¬ 
ticularly mention the 28th, 42d, 79th, and 92d 
regiments, and the battalion of Hanoverians. 

Our loss was great, as your lordship will per¬ 
ceive by the enclosed return, and I have particu¬ 
larly to regret his serene highness the Duke of 


268 Slppentu*: 

Brunswick, who fell fighting gallantly at the head 
of his troops. 

Although marshal Blucher had maintained his 
position at Sambref, he still found himself much 
weakened by the severity of the contest in which 
he had been engaged, and as the fourth corps had 
not arrived, he determined to fall back, and con¬ 
centrate his army upon Wavre; and he marched 
in the night after the action was over. 

This movement of the marshal’s rendered ne¬ 
cessary a corresponding one on my part; and 
I retired from the farm of Quatre Bras upon 
Genappe, and thence upon Waterloo the next 
morning, the 17th, at ten o’clock. 

The enemy made no effort to pursue marshal 
Blucher. On the contrary, a patrole which I sent 
to Sambref in the morning, found all quiet, and the 
enemy’s videttes fell back as the patrole advanced. 
Neither did he attempt to molest our march to the 
rear, although made in the middle of the day, ex¬ 
cepting by following with a large body of cavalry, 
brought from his right, the cavalry under the Earl 
of Uxbridge. 

This gave Lord Uxbridge an opportunity of 
charging them with the 1st life guards, upon 
their debouche from the village of Genappe, upon 
which occasion his lordship has declared himself 
to be well satisfied with that regiment. 

The position which I took up in front of 


2 69 


aiattrloo; 1815. 

Waterloo, crossed the high roads from Charleroy 
and Nivelle, and had its right thrown back to 
a ravine near Merke Braine, which was occupied; 
and its left extended to a height above the hamlet 
Ter la Haye, which was likewise occupied. In 
front of the right centre and near the Nivelle 
road, we occupied the house and garden of Hou- 
goumont, which covered the return of that flank; 
and in front of the left centre, we occupied the 
farm of La Haye Sainte. By our left we com¬ 
municated with marshal Prince Blucher, at Wavre 
through Ohaim; and the marshal had promised 
me that in case we should be attacked he would 
support me with one or more corps, as might be 
necessary. 

The enemy collected his army, with the excep¬ 
tion of the third corps, which had been sent to 
observe marshal Blucher, on a range of heights 
in our front, in the course of the night of the 
17th and yesterday morning: and at about ten 
o’clock he commenced a furious attack upon our 
post at Hougoumont. I had occupied that post 
with a detachment from general Byng’s brigade of 
guards, which was in position in its rear; and it 
was for some time under the command of lieu¬ 
tenant-colonel Macdonel,and afterwards of colonel 
Home ; and I am happy to add, that it was main¬ 
tained throughout the day with the utmost gal¬ 
lantry by these brave troops, notwithstanding the 


270 appcnUt*: 

repeated efforts of large bodies of the enemy to 
obtain possession of it. 

This attack upon the right of our centre was 
accompanied by a very heavy connonade upon our 
whole line, which was destined to support the re¬ 
peated attacks of cavalry and infantry occasionally 
mixed, but sometimes separate, which were made 
upon it. In one of these, the enemy carried the 
farm-house of La Haye Sainte, as the detachment 
of the light battalion of the legion which occupied 
it had expended all its ammunition, and the enemy 
occupied the only communication there was with 
them. 

The enemy repeatedly charged our infantry 
with his cavalry, but these attacks were uniformly 
unsuccessful, and they afforded opportunities to 
our cavalry to charge, in one of which Lord E. 
Somerset’s brigade, consisting of the life guards, 
royal horse guards, and 1st dragoon guards, 
highly distinguished themselves ; as did that of 
major-general Sir W. Ponsonby, having taken 
many prisoners and an eagle. 

These attacks were repeated till about seven in 
the evening, when the enemy made a desperate 
effort with the cavalry and infantry, supported by 
the fire of artillery, to force our left centre near 
the farm of La Haye Sainte, which after a severe 
contest was defeated; and having observed that 
the troops retired from this attack in great con- 


271 


Waterloo; 1815. 

fusion, and that the march of general Bulow’s 
corps by Euschermont upon Planchenorte and 
La Belle Alliance, had begun to take effect, and 
as I could perceive the fire of his cannon, and as 
marshal Prince Blucher had joined in person with 
a corps of his army to the left of our line by Ohaim, 
I determined to attack the enemy, and immedi¬ 
ately advanced the whole line of infantry, sup¬ 
ported by the cavalry and artillery. The attack 
succeeded in, every point; the enemy was forced 
from his position on the heights and fled in the 
utmost confusion, leaving behind him, as far as 
I could judge, one hundred and fifty pieces of 
cannon, with their ammunition, which fell into 
our hands. I continued the pursuit till long after 
dark, and then discontinued it only on account of 
the fatigue of our troops, who had been engaged 
during twelve hours, and because I found myself 
on the same road with marshal Blucher, who 
assured me of his intention to follow the enemy 
throughout the night; he has sent me word this 
morning that he had taken sixty pieces of cannon 
belonging to the imperial guard, and several car¬ 
riages, baggage, &c. belonging to Buonaparte, in 
Genappe. 

I propose to move this morning upon Nivelles, 
and not to discontinue my operations. 

Your lordship will observe, that such a despe¬ 
rate action could not be fought, and such advan- 


272 : 

tages could not be gained, without great loss ; and 
I am sorry to add, that ours has been immense. 
In lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, His 
Majesty has sustained the loss of an officer who 
has frequently distinguished himself in his service, 
and he fell, gloriously leading his division to 
a charge with bayonets, by which one of the most 
serious attacks made by the enemy on our position 
was defeated. The Earl of Uxbridge, after having 
successfully got through this arduous day, received 
a wound by almost the last shot fired, which will, 
I am afraid, deprive His Majesty for some time of 
his services. 

His royal highness the Prince of Orange dis¬ 
tinguished himself by his gallantry and conduct, 
till he received a wound from a musket ball through 
the shoulder, which obliged him to quit the field. 

It gives me the greatest satisfaction to assure 
your lordship, that the army never, upon any 
occasion, conducted itself better. The division 
of guards, under lieutenant-general Cooke, who is 
severely wounded, major-general Maitland and 
major-general Byng, set an example which was 
followed by all; and there is no officer.nor de¬ 
scription of troops that did not behave well. 

I must, however, particularly mention, for Plis 
Royal Highness’s approbation, lieutenant-general 
Sir H. Clinton, major-general Adam, lieutenant- 
general Charles Baron Alten, severely wounded; 


Waterloo; 1815. 


273 


major-general Sir Colin Halket, severely wounded; 
colonel Ompteda, colonel Mitchell, commanding 
a brigade of the 4th division ; major-generals Sir 
James Kempt and Sir Denis Pack, major-general 
Lambert, major-general Lord E. Somerset, major- 
general Sir W. Ponsonby, major-general Sir C. 
Grant, and major-general Sir H. Vivian ; major- 
general Sir O. Vandeleur; major-general Count 
Dornberg. I am also particularly indebted to 
general Lord Hill for his assistance and conduct 
upon this as upon all former occasions. 

The artillery and engineer departments were 
conducted much to my satisfaction by colonel Sir 
G. Wood and colonel Smyth; and I had every 
reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the 
adjutant-general, major-general Barnes, who was 
wounded, and of the quartermaster-general, 
colonel De Lancey, who was killed by a cannon 
shot in the middle of the action. This officer is 
a serious loss to His Majesty’s service, and to me 
at this moment. I was likewise much indebted to 
the assistance of lieutenant-colonel Lord Fitzroy 
Somerset, who was severely wounded, and of the 
officers composing my personal staff, w r ho have 
suffered severely in this action. Lieutenant- 
colonel the honourable Sir Alexander Gordon, 
who has died of his wounds, was a most promising 
officer, and is a serious loss to His Majesty's 
service. 


T 


274 appeninjr: 

General Kruse, of the Nassau service, likewise 
conducted himself much to my satisfaction, as did 
general Trip, commanding the heavy brigade of 
cavalry, and general Vanhope, commanding a 
brigade of infantry of the King of the Nether¬ 
lands. 

General Pozzo di Borgo, general Baron Vincent, 
general Muffling, and general Alava, were in the 
field during the action, and rendered me every 
assistance in their power. Baron Vincent is 
wounded, but I hope not severely; and general 
Pozzo di Borgo received a contusion. 

I should not do justice to my feelings, or to 
marshal Blucher and the Prussian army, if I did 
not attribute the successful result of this arduous 
day to the cordial and timely assistance I received 
from them. 

The operation of general Bulow upon the ene¬ 
my’s flank was a most decisive one ; and even if 
I had not found myself in a situation to make the 
attack, which produced the final result, it would 
have forced the enemy to retire, if his attacks 
should have failed, and would have prevented him 
from taking advantage of them, if they should un¬ 
fortunately have succeeded. 

I send, with this dispatch, tw T o eagles, taken by 
the troops in this action, which major Percy will 
have the honour of laying at the feet of his Royal 
Highness. 


ILtgnu; 1815 275 

I beg leave to recommend him to your lord- 
ship’s protection. 

I have the honour, &c. 

(signed) Wellington. 

P. S. Since writing the above, 1 have received 
a report that major-general Sir William Ponsonby 
is killed; and, in announcing this intelligence to 
your lordship, I have to add the expression of my 
grief for the fate of an officer who had already 
rendered very brilliant and important services, and 
was an ornament to his profession. 

2 d P. S. I have not yet got the returns of killed 
and wounded, but I enclose a list of officers killed 
and wounded on the two days, as far as the same 
can be made out without the returns; and I am 
very happy to add that colonel De Lancey is not 
dead, and that strong hopes of his recovery are 
entertained. 


Bulletin , Prussian Army . 

OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE 
PRUSSIAN ARMY OF THE LOWER RHINE. 

June 16 .—Battle of Ligny. 

THE Prussian army was posted on the heights 
between Brie and Sombref, and beyond the last 
place, and occupied with a large force the villages 



276 appeittrijr: 

of St. Amand and Ligny, situated in its front. 
Mean time only three corps of the army had 
joined; the fourth, which was stationed between 
Liege and Hannut, had been delayed in its march 
by several circumstances, and was not yet come 
up. Nevertheless, field-marshal Blucher resolved 
to give battle, Lord Wellington having already 
put in motion to support him a strong division of 
his army, as well as his whole reserve, stationed 
in the environs of Brussels, and the fourth corps 
of the Prussian army being also on the point of 
arriving. 

The battle began at three o’clock in the after¬ 
noon. The enemy brought up above 130,000 
men. The Prussian army was 80,000 strong. The 
village of St. Amand was the first point attacked 
by the enemy, who carried it after a vigorous 
resistance. 

He then directed his efforts against Ligny: it 
is a large village, solidly built, situated on a rivulet 
of the same name. It was there that the contest 
began which may be considered as one of the most 
obstinate recorded in history. Villages have often 
been taken and retaken; but here the combat 
continued for five hours in the villages themselves, 
and the movements forwards or backwards were 
confined to a very narrow space. On both sides 
fresh troops continually came up. Each party had 
behind the part of the village which it occupied 


277 


lLtgttp; 18X5. 

great masses of infantry, which maintained the 
combat, and were continually renewed by the 
reinforcements which they received from their 
rear, as well as from the heights on the right and 
left. About two hundred cannon were directed 
from both sides against the village, which was on 
fire in several places at once. From time to time 
the combat extended along the whole line, the 
enemy having also directed numerous troops 
against the. third corps ; however, the main con¬ 
test was near Ligny. Things seemed to take 
a favourable turn for the Prussian troops, a part 
of the village of St. Amand having been retaken 
by a battalion commanded by the field-marshal 
in person ; in consequence of which advantage, we 
had regained a height which had been abandoned 
after the loss of St. Amand. Nevertheless,. the 
battle continued about Ligny with the same fury. 
The issue seemed to depend upon the arrival of 
the English troops, or on that of the fourth corps 
of the Prussian army; in fact, the arrival of this 
last division would have afforded the field-marshal 
the means of making, immediately, with the right 
wing, an attack, from which great success might 
have been expected; but news arrived that the 
English division destined to support us was vio¬ 
lently attacked by a corps of the French army, 
and that it was with great difficulty it had main¬ 
tained itself in its position at Quatre Bras. The 

t 3 


278 


appentri*: 

fourth corps of the army did not appear, so that 
we were forced to maintain alone the contest with 
an army greatly superior. The evening was much 
advanced, and the combat about Ligny continued 
with the same fury and the same equality of suc¬ 
cess ; we invoked, but in vain, the arrival of those 
succours which were so necessary; the danger 
became every hour more and more urgent; all 
the divisions were engaged or had already been 
so, and there were not any corps at hand able to 
support them. Suddenly, a division of the ene¬ 
my’s infantry, which by favour of the night had 
made a circuit round the village, without being 
observed, at the same time that some regiments 
of cuirassiers had forced the passage on the other 
side, took in the rear the main body of our army, 
which was posted behind the houses. This sur¬ 
prise on the part of the enemy was decisive, 
especially at the moment when our cavalry, also 
posted on a height behind the village, was repulsed 
by the enemy’s cavalry in repeated attacks. 

Our infantry posted behind Ligny, though forced 
to retreat, did not suffer itself to be discouraged, 
either by being surprised by the enemy in the 
darkness, a circumstance which exaggerates in 
the mind of man the dangers to which he finds 
himself exposed, or by the idea of seeing itself 
surrounded on all sides. Formed in masses, it 
coolly repulsed all the attacks of the cavalry, and 


279 


iligtip; 1813. 

retreated in good order upon the heights, whence 
it continued its retrograde movement upon Tilly. 
In consequence of the sudden irruption of the 
enemy’s cavalry, several of our cannon in their 
precipitate retreat had taken directions which led 
them to defiles, in which they necessarily fell into 
disorder ; in this manner, fifteen pieces fell into 
the hands of the enemy. At the distance of 
a quarter of a league from the field of battle, the 
army formed again. The enemy did not venture 
to pursue it. The village of Brie remained in our 
possession during the night, as well as Sombref, 
where general Thielman had fought with the third 
corps, and whence he at day-break slowly began 
to retreat towards Gembloux, where the corps 
under general Bulow had at length arrived during 
the night. The first and second corps proceeded 
in the morning behind the defile of Mount St. 
Guibert. Our loss in killed and wounded was 
great; the enemy, however, took from us no pri¬ 
soners, except a part of our wounded. The battle 
was lost, but not our honour. Our soldiers had 
fought with a bravery which equalled every ex¬ 
pectation ; their fortitude remained unshaken, 
because every one retained his confidence in his 
own strength. On this day, field-marshal Blucher 
had encountered the greatest dangers. A charge 
of cavalry, led on by himself, had failed. While 
that of the enemy was vigorously pursuing, a mus- 

t 4 


280 : 

ket-shot struck the marshal’s horse: the animal, 
far from being stopped in his career by this 
wound, began to gallop more furiously, till it 
dropped down dead. The field-marshal, stunned 
by the violent fall, lay entangled under the horse. 
The enemy’s cuirassiers, following up their advan¬ 
tage, advanced; our last horseman had already 
passed by the field-marshal; an adjutant alone 
remained with him, and had just alighted, resolved 
to share his fate. The danger was great, but 
Heaven watched over us. The enemy, pursuing 
their charge, passed rapidly by the field-marshal 
without seeing him; the next moment, a second 
charge of our cavalry having repulsed them, they 
again passed by him with the same precipitation, 
not perceiving him, any more than they had done 
the first time. Then, but not without difficulty, 
the field-marshal was disengaged from under the 
dead horse, and he immediately mounted a dra¬ 
goon horse. 

On the 17th, in the evening, the Prussian army 
concentrated itself in the environs of Wavre. 
Napoleon put himself in motion against Lord 
Wellington, upon the great road leading from 
Charleroi to Brussels. An English division main¬ 
tained, on the same day, near Quatre Bras, a very 
severe contest with the enemy. Lord Wellington 
had taken a position on the road to Brussels, hav¬ 
ing his right wing leaning upon Braine-la-Leu, the 


281 


Waterloo; 1815. 

centre near Mont St. Jean, and the left wing 
against La Haye Sainte. Lord Wellington wrote 
to the field-marshal that he was resolved to accept 
the battle in this position, if the field-marshal 
would support him with two corps of his army. 
The field-marshal promised to come with his 
whole army : he even proposed, in case Napoleon 
should not attack, that the allies themselves, with 
their whole united force, should attack him the 
next day. This may serve to show how little the 
battle of the 16th had disorganized the Prussian 
army, or weakened its moral strength. Thus 
ended the day of the 17th. 


Battle of the Eighteenth. 

At break of day, the Prussian army again be¬ 
gan to move. The 4th and 2d corps marched by 
St. Lambert, where they were to take a position, 
covered by the forest, near Frichemont, to take 
the enemy in the rear, when the moment should 
appear favourable. The first corps was to operate 
by Ohain on the right flank of the enemy. The 
third corps was to follow slowly, in order to afford 
succour in case of need. The battle began about 
10 o’clock in the morning. The English army 
occupied the heights of Mont St. Jean; that of 
the French was on the heights before Planchenoit; 



282 


appeniri*: 

the former was about 80,000 strong; the enemy 
had about 130,000. In a short time the battle 
became general along the whole line. It seems 
that Napoleon had the design to throw the left 
wing upon the centre, and thus to effect the sepa¬ 
ration of the English army from the Prussian, 
which he believed to be retreating upon Maes¬ 
tri cht. For this purpose, he had placed the 
greatest part of his reserve in the centre, against 
his right wing, and upon this point he attacked 
with fury. The English army fought with a valour 
which it is impossible to surpass. The repeated 
charges of the old guard was baffled by the in¬ 
trepidity of the Scotch regiments; and at every 
charge the French cavalry was overthrown by the 
English cavalry. But the superiority of the enemy 
in numbers was too great; Napoleon continually 
brought forward considerable masses, and with 
whatever firmness the English troops maintained 
themselves in their position, it was not possible 
but that such heroic exertions must have a limit. 

It was half-past four o'clock. The excessive 
difficulties of the passage by the defile of St. Lam¬ 
bert had considerably retarded the march of the 
Prussian columns, so that only two brigades of 
the fourth corps had arrived at the covered posi¬ 
tion which was assigned to them. The decisive 
moment was come; there was not a moment to 
be lost. The generals did not suffer it to escape, 


283 


CxllaterlaD; 1815. 

they resolved immediately to begin the attack 
with the troops which they had at hand. General 
Bulow, therefore, with two brigades and a corps 
of cavalry, advanced rapidly upon the rear of the 
enemy’s right wing. The enemy did not lose his 
presence of mind ; he instantly turned his reserve 
against us, and a murderous conflict began on 
that side. The combat remained long uncertain, 
while the battle with the English army still con¬ 
tinued with the same violence. 

Towards six o’clock in the evening we received 
the news that general Thielman, with the third 
corps, was attacked near Wavre by a very con¬ 
siderable corps of the enemy, and that they were 
already disputing the possession of the town. The 
field-marshal, however, did not suffer himself to 
be disturbed by this news ; it was on the spot 
where he was, and no where else, that the affair 
was to be decided. A conflict, continually sup¬ 
ported by the same obstinacy, and kept up by 
fresh troops, could alone insure the victory; and 
if it were obtained here, any reverse sustained 
near Wavre was of little consequence. The co¬ 
lumns, therefore, continued their movements. It 
was half an hour past seven, and the issue of the 
battle was still uncertain. The whole of the 4th 
corps and a part of the 2d under general Pvich 
had successively come up. The French troops 
fought with desperate fury; however, some un- 


284 appcntu*: 

certainty was perceived in their movements, and 
it was observed that some pieces of cannon were 
retreating. At this moment the first columns of 
the corps of Genethen Ziethen arrived on the 
points of attack, near the village of Smouhen, on 
the enemy’s right flank, and instantly charged. 
This moment decided the defeat of the enemy, 
his right wing was broken in three places; he 
abandoned his positions. Our troops rushed for¬ 
ward at thecas de charge , and attacked him on all 
sides, while at the same time the whole English 
line advanced. 

Circumstances w T ere extremely favourable to the 
attack formed by the Prussian army ; the ground 
rose in an amphitheatre, so that our artillery could 
freely open its fire from the summit of a great 
many heights which rose gradually above each 
other, and in the intervals of which, the troops 
descended into the plain, formed into brigades, 
and in the greatest order ; while fresh corps con¬ 
tinually unfolded themselves, issuing from the 
forest on the height behind us. The enemy, 
however, still preserved means to retreat, till the 
village of Planchenoit, which he had on his rear, 
and which was defended by the guard, was, after 
several bloody attacks, carried by storm. From 
that time the retreat became a rout, which soon 
spread through the wdiole French army, which in 
its dreadful confusion, hurrying away every thing 


28,5 


Waterloo; J815. 

that attempted to stop it, soon assumed the ap¬ 
pearance of the flight of an army of barbarians. 
It was half-past nine ; the field-marshal assembled 
all the. superior officers, and gave orders to send 
the last horse and the last man in pursuit of the 
enemy. The van of the army accelerated its 
march. The French being pursued without inter¬ 
mission, were absolutely disorganized ; the cause¬ 
way presented the appearance of an immense 
shipwreck; it was covered with an innumerable 
quantity of cannon, caissons, carriages, baggage, 
arms and wrecks of every kind. Those of the 
enemy who had attempted to repose for a time, 
and had not expected to be so quickly pursued, 
were driven from more than nine bivouacs. In 
some villages they attempted to maintain them¬ 
selves ; but as soon as they heard the beating of 
our drums or the sound of the trumpet, they either 
fled or threw themselves into the houses, where 
they were cut down or made prisoners. It was 
moonlight, which greatly favoured the pursuit, 
for the whole march was but a continued chace 
either in the cornfields or the houses. 

At Genappe, the enemy had entrenched him¬ 
self with cannon and overturned carriages; at our 
approach we suddenly heard in the town a great 
noise and a motion of carriages : at the entrance 
we were exposed to a brisk fire of musquetry ; we 
replied by some cannon shot, followed by an 


286 


apptn&jjr: 

hurrah , and an instant after the town was ours. 
It was here that, among many other equipages, 
the carriage of Napoleon was taken ; he had just 
left it to mount on horseback, and in his hurry 
had forgotten in it his sword and hat. Thus 
the affairs continued till break of day. About 
forty thousand men, in the most complete dis¬ 
order, the remains of the whole army, have saved 
themselves, retreating through Charleroi, partly 
without arms, and carrying with them only twenty- 
seven pieces of their numerous artillery. 

The enemy in his flight has passed all his for¬ 
tresses, the only defence of his frontiers, which 
are now passed by our armies. 

At three o’clock, Napoleon had dispatched from 
the field of battle, a courier to Paris, with the 
news that victory was no longer doubtful; a few 
hours after he had no longer any army left. We 
have not yet any exact account of the enemy’s 
loss : it is enough to know that two-thirds of the 
whole army are killed, wounded or prisoners ; 
among the latter are generals Monton, Duhesme 
and Compans. Up to this time, about three hun¬ 
dred cannon and above five hundred caissons are 
in our hands. 

Few victories have been so complete; and there 
is certainly no example that an army two days 
after losing a battle, engaged in such an action 
and so gloriously maintained it. Honour be to 


287 


Waterloo; 1815 

troops capable of so much firmness and valour! 
In the middle of the position occupied by the 
French army, and exactly upon the height, is 
a farm, called La Belle Alliance. The march of 
all the Prussian columns was directed towards 
this farm, which was visible from every side. It 
was there that Napoleon was during the battle, 
it was thence that he gave his orders, that he flat¬ 
tered himself with the hopes of victory, and it was 
there that his ruin was decided. There too it 
was that by a happy chance field-marshal Blucher 
and Lord Wellington met in the dark, and mutu¬ 
ally saluted each other as victors. 

In commemoration of the alliance which now 
subsists between the English and Prussian nations, 
of the union of the two armies, and their reci¬ 
procal confidence, the field-marshal desired that 
this battle should bear the name of La Belle 
Alliance. 

By the order of Field-marshal Blucher, 

General Gneisenau. 


London Gazette, June 24th, 1815. 


Letter Jrom the Duke of Wellington. 

My Lord, Bruxelles, June 19, 1815. 

I have to inform your lordship, in addition to 
my dispatch of this morning, that we have already 




288 appcnjitjr: 

got here five thousand prisoners taken in the 
action of yesterday, and that there are above two 
thousand more coming in to-morrow: there will 
probably be many more. Among the prisoners 
are the Count Loubau, who commanded the 6th 
corps, and general Cambrone, who commanded 
a division of the guards. I propose to send the 
whole to England by Ostend. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

Wellington. 

Earl Bathurst, &c. &c. &c. 


Supplement to London Gazette of July ist, 1815. 


Letter from the Duke of Wellington. 

My Lord, Orville, J une 29, 1815. 

BEING aware of the anxiety existing in Eng¬ 
land to receive the returns of killed and wounded 
in the late actions, I now send lists of the officers, 
and expect to be able to send this evening returns 
of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers. 
The amount of non-commissioned officers and 
soldiers, British and Hanoverian, killed, wounded 
and missing, is between 12 and 13,000. 

Your lordship will see in the enclosed lists the 
names of some most valuable officers lost to His 
Majesty’s service. Among them I cannot avoid 




(Capture of pan's; 1815. 289 

to mention colonel Cameron of the 92d, and 
colonel Sir H. Ellis of the 23d regiments, to 
whose conduct I have frequently drawn your 
lordship’s attention, and who at last fell, distin¬ 
guishing themselves at the head of the brave 
troops which they commanded. 

Notwithstanding the glory of the occasion, it is 
impossible not to lament such men, both on ac¬ 
count of the public and as friends. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

Wellington. 

Earl Bathurst, &c. &c. &c. 


Capture of 

London Gazette Extraordinary, 7 July 1815. 

' » 

Letter from the Duke of Wellington. 

My Lord, Gonasse, July 4, 1815. 

Field-Marshal Prince Blucher was strongly 
opposed by the enemy in taking the position on 
the left of the Seine, which I reported, in my 
dispatch of the 2d instant, that he intended to 
take up on that day, particularly on the heights 
of St. Cloud and Meudon ; but the gallantry of 


u 






290 append*: 

the Prussian troops, under general Ziethen, sur¬ 
mounted every obstacle, and they succeeded 
finally in establishing themselves on the heights 
of Meudon, and in the village of Issy. The 
French attacked them again in Issy, at three 
o’clock in the morning of the 3d, but were 
repulsed with considerable loss ; and finding that 
Paris was then open on its vulnerable side, that 
a communication was opened between the two 
allied armies by a bridge which I had had esta¬ 
blished at Argenteuil, and that a British corps 
was likewise moving upon the left of the Seine, 
towards the Pont de Neuilly, the enemy sent to 
desire that the firing might cease on both sides 
of the Seine, with a view to the negociation, at 
the palace of St. Cloud, of a military convention 
between the armies, under which the French 
army should evacuate Paris. 

Officers accordingly met on both sides at St. 
Cloud ; and I enclose the copy of the military 
convention which was agreed to last night, and 
which had been ratified by marshal Prince Blu- 
cher and me, and by the Prince d’Echmuhl on 
the part of the French army. 

This convention decides all the military ques¬ 
tions at this moment existing here, and touches 
nothing political. 

General Lord Hill has marched to take posses¬ 
sion of the posts evacuated by agreement this 


Capture of pans?; 1815. 291 

day, and I propose to-morrow to take possession 
of Montmartre. 

I send this dispatch by my aide-de-camp, 
captain Lord Arthur Hill, by way of Calais. He 
will be able to inform your lordship of any further 
particulars, and I beg leave to recommend him to 
your favour and protection. 

I have, &c. 

(signed) Wellington. 


This day, the 3d of July 1815, the commis¬ 
sioners named by the commanders-in-chief of the 
respective armies; that is to say, the Baron 
Bignon, holding the portefeuille of foreign affairs; 
the Count Guilleminot, chief of the general staff 
of the French army; the Count de Bondy, pre¬ 
fect of the department of the Seine, being fur¬ 
nished with the full powers of his excellency the 
marshal Prince of Echmuhl, commander-in-chief 
of the French army, on one side ; and major- 
general Baron Muffling, furnished with the full 
powers of his highness the field-marshal Prince 
Blucher, commander-in-chief of the Prussian 
army; colonel Hervey, furnished with the full 
powers of his excellency the Duke of Wellington, 
commander-in-chief of the English army, on the 
other side, have agreed to the following articles: 

u 2 



292 append: 

Art. I. There shall be a suspension of arms 
between the allied armies commanded by his 
highness the Prince Blucher and his excellency 
the Duke of Wellington, and the French army 
under the walls of Paris. 

Art. II. The French army shall put itself in 
march to-morrow, to take up its position behind 
the Loire. Paris shall be completely evacuated 
in three days ; and the movement behind the 
Loire shall be effected within eight days. 

Art. III. The French army shall take with it 
all its materiel, field artillery, military chest, 
horses, and property of regiments, without excep¬ 
tion. All persons belonging to the depots shall 
also be removed, as well as those belonging to 
the different branches of administration, which 
belong to the army. 

Art. IV. The sick and wounded, and the me¬ 
dical officers whom it may be necessary to leave 
with them, are placed under the special protec¬ 
tion of the commanders-in-chief of the English 
and Prussian armies. 

Art. V. The military and those holding em¬ 
ployments to whom the foregoing article relates, 
shall be at liberty immediately after their reco¬ 
very to rejoin the corps to which they belong. 

Art. VI. The wives and children of all indivi¬ 
duals belonging to the French army shall be at 
liberty to remain in Paris. The waves shall be 


Capture of partss; 1815. 293 

allowed to quit Paris for the purpose of rejoining 
the army, and to carry with them their property, 
and that of their husbands. 

Art. VII. The officers of the line employed 
with the federes, or with the tirailleurs of the 
national guard, may either join the army or return 
to their homes, or the places of their birth. 

Art. VIII. To-morrow, the 4th of July, at 
mid-day, St. Denis, St. Ouen, Clichy, and 
Neuilly, shall be given up. The day after to¬ 
morrow, the 5th, at the same hour, Montmartre 
shall be given up. The third day, the 6t.h, all 
the barriers shall be given up. 

Art. IX. The duty of the city of Paris shall 
continue to be.done by the national guard, and 
by the corps of the municipal gendarmerie. 

Art. X. The commanders-in-chief of the Eng¬ 
lish and Prussian armies engage to respect, and 
to make those under their command respect, the 
actual authorities, so long as they shall exist. 

Art. XI. Public property, with the exception 
of that which relates to war, whether it belongs 
to the government, or depends upon the muni¬ 
cipal authority, shall be respected, and the Allied 
Powers will not interfere in any manner with its 
administration and management. 

Art. XII. Private persons and property shall 
be equally respected. The inhabitants, and in 


29 4 appenJjjjf: 

general all individuals who shall be in the capital, 
shall continue to enjoy their rights and liberties, 
without being disturbed or called to account 
either as to the situations which they hold or 
may have held, or as to their conduct or political 
opinions. 

Art. XIII. The foreign troops shall not inter¬ 
pose any obstacles to the provisioning of the 
capital, and will protect, on the contrary, the 
arrival and the free circulation of the articles 
which are destined for it. 

Art. XIV. The present convention shall be 
observed, and shall serve to regulate the mutual 
relations until the conclusion of peace. In case 
of rupture, it must be denounced in the usual 
forms, at least ten days beforehand. 

Art. XV. If difficulties arise in the execution 
of any one of the articles of the present conven¬ 
tion, the interpretation of it shall be made in 
favour of the French army and of the city of 
Paris. 

Art. XVI. The present convention is declared 
common to all the allied armies, provided it be 
ratified by the powers on which these armies are 
dependent. 

Art. XVII. The ratifications shall be exchanged 
to-morrow, the 4th of July, at six o’clock in the 
morning, at the bridge of Neuilly. 


Capture of gang; 1815. 295 

Art. XVIII. Commissioners shall be named by 
the respective parties, in order to watch over the 
execution of the present convention. 

Done and signed at St. Cloud, in triplicate, by 
the commissioners above named, the day and 
year before mentioned. 

(signed) The Baron Bignon. 

Count Guilleminot. 

Count De Bondy. 

The Baron De Muffling. 
F. B. Hervey, Colonel. 

Approved and ratified the present suspension of 
arms, at Paris, the 3d of July 1815. 

Approved, 

(signed) Marshal the Prince D'Echmuhl. 









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